On a fortuitous day in Washington D.C., executive secretary Barbara Black met off-duty Pentagon Naval Officer LeRoy (Lee) Kopp. That meeting was the beginning of a loving lifelong partnership grounded in family love and philanthropic generosity.
Both Lee and Barbara came from humble beginnings. That experience gave them insight into the difficulties created by financial hardship and highlighted with firsthand experience the transformative value of an education. With this belief in mind they established the Kopp Family Foundation.
Since its inception in 1986, the Foundation has supported greater opportunity for education and provided financial stability and improved quality of life for many experiencing financial hardship in the Twin Cities. With a vision of a thriving community, the Foundation has given financial support to schools and other nonprofits focused on education, community youth, the aged, and families.
Lee was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota. After graduating from high school with honors he went on to graduate from the University of Minnesota’s Business School and spent 3 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy.
Barbara was born in Long Lake, New York, a small town in the Adirondack mountains near Lake Placid. She earned a degree as an Executive Secretary at Albany Business College, initially working for the U.S. Navy and later for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Washington D.C.
After their marriage, the couple moved to Minnesota where Lee had a highly successful career at Dain Rauscher and Kopp Investment Advisors, which he founded in 1990. Lee was known for his warm heart, intelligence, wit, hard work, deep respect for others, and a desire to spread kindness. Barbara was a devoted mother who volunteered her time generously. She was driven by a desire to be purposeful and a hope that we would all surround ourselves with open, respectful, accepting people who challenge us to be better versions of ourselves.
Lee passed away in October 2020, and Barbara in February 2023.
A spirit of generosity, kindness, and respect for others guided Lee and Barbara throughout their lives and continues as the guiding principle of the Kopp Family Foundation today.
“I am where I am today because of the educational opportunity I had. If you can educate people, you are going to have a much stronger community and a more viable community than ever before. It’s critical.” — Lee Kopp
