1928 – 2024
Pamela Emelie Cooper M.D.
Dr. Pam, as she was affectionately known, will forever be remembered for her tenacity and dedication as a physician, wife, and mother. Pam peacefully departed from this world at her home in Bothell, Washington on March 16, 2024.
Born on August 14, 1928, in Birmingham, England, Pam was a beloved and only child of Frances and Lawrence Sarjeant. Her upbringing was steeped in music, with her parents often gracing the stage in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Her fondest childhood memories were of family summer retreats to the Burnham Overy seashore, although these were cut short by the onset of World War II.
During the Blitzkrieg, she was one of scores of urban children separated from their parents and evacuated to live with complete strangers in the countryside. Despite the disruptions to her education and the loneliness she endured, Pam emerged undaunted. At the young age of 23, she proudly graduated from the University of Birmingham Medical School. Her journey in medicine paralleled her marriage to Harold (Geoff) Cooper, also a medical school graduate. Together, they embarked on a new chapter in Canada before settling in the United States, making homes in Duluth, MN, Appleton, WI, and eventually Edmonds, WA.
With unvarnished English grit and determination, she managed to raise four children, complete her US internship, pass her medical boards, and establish a thriving medical practice. Her career accomplishments included serving as a department chair at Stevens Memorial Hospital (currently Swedish-Edmonds Hospital) and longtime medical Director at Crista Nursing Center providing skilled and compassionate care to hundreds.
After her children graduated and first husband passed, Pam embarked on her “second act”. She discovered and married her soul-mate, William (Bill) Allen. Embracing retirement, they moved to Camano Island, where they shared dreams of adventure and tranquility. Together, they explored the wonders of travel, indulged in the joys of gardening, and dedicated themselves to community service with the Beach Watchers (current Sound Water Stewards). Pam’s reverence for nature extended to the nurturing of their property on Shaw Island. She also found enjoyment in the company of her cherished dogs, Chip, Brandi, and Buddy.
After Bill’s passing, Pam embarked on a journey of resilience and renewal, deepening her connections within the Camano Island community. She delighted in traveling to support her grandchildren in their various sporting endeavors, finding joy in their achievements.
Pam was preceded in death by her parents, as well as her beloved husbands, Geoff and Bill. She is survived by her children, Lyn Sherman, Glenn (Rosemary), Wendy Lundquist (Lauren), and Clive (Lisa). Pam’s legacy lives on through her grandchildren, Brittany (Justin), Jeni (Chris), Christopher, Brody, Dillon, Brenan, Austen, and Addie, as well as her great-grandchildren, Caitlin, Sean, Madison, and Freya.
In honoring Pam’s memory, donations to the San Juan Preservation Trust would be deeply appreciated.
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