Francis P. Sopper, 80, former Selectman, pioneer in the field of water quality and conservation, and Winchester businessman, died Friday at Winchester Hospital.
Mr. Sopper was born in Malden, Massachusetts, and lived there until he joined the Navy when he came of age in 1943. His ship was frequently under fire in the Pacific theater, and he was with the first of the U.S. forces to land in Japan for the occupation. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to Malden. His first career was as a salesman for Prudential Insurance where he was yearly a member of the Leaders' Club.
In 1954, Mr. Sopper married Dorothea Ross of Medford, Massachusetts. The couple celebrated their 51st anniversary in October of this year. In 1963, he began his career in water systems management when, together with John Falla of Winchester, he successfully deployed a listening device invented by Dr. Paul Michael of Penn State University for the purpose of isolating sound patterns. Mr. Sopper was able to use the device to identify the sound of water leaking from municipal water distribution mains. From this initial mutual discovery, Dr. Michael and Mr. Sopper maintained a lifelong personal and professional relationship.
Mr. Sopper parlayed this unique skill into a career that allowed him to save municipalities millions of gallons of water previously lost and unnaccounted. He was sought nationwide by public and private water districts and private contractors. He found single leaks that amounted to upwards of 2 million gallons per day which had been disappearing into the water table. Over the years, several brooks and at least one wetland, previously thought to have been natural, were discovered by Mr. Sopper to be the results of decades-long and highly costly leaks.
Mr. Sopper did business in Winchester as Pipe Line Testing Service with offices on Park Street. In 1974, Sopper and his family settled at 10 Canterbury Road where he lived until this year. He was active in town affairs beginning with a battle with graffiti on the town's railroad bridges. Mr. Sopper would rise at dawn, inspect the bridges, and with the permission of Public Works officials, remove with a sand blaster any graffiti that appeared overnight.
His community interest led to a number of official and unofficial positions in service to the town. Mr. Sopper served as Town Selectman from 1986 to 1989, and later was appointed by the governor to the Town's Housing Authority. Watching his youngest son and other children playing on a parched Ginn Field one hot summer afternoon led him to donate and install two granite drinking fountains for public use. The two remain in summer service: one at Ginn Field and the other at the Town Common.
Mr. Sopper is survived by his wife Dorothea and his children: Francis P. Jr. and his wife Susan of Dummerston, VT, Judy Godbout and her husband Don of Woburn, Eric R. and his wife Nancy of Nashua, NH and Richard J. and his wife Maryann of Woburn.
A Memorial Mass will be held in St. Mary's Church, 155 Washington St., Winchester on Wed. Dec. 28th at 10AM. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. Memorial Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 27th from 6-8 PM in the Costello Funeral Home 177 Washington St. Winchester.
Mr. Sopper was born in Malden, Massachusetts, and lived there until he joined the Navy when he came of age in 1943. His ship was frequently under fire in the Pacific theater, and he was with the first of the U.S. forces to land in Japan for the occupation. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to Malden. His first career was as a salesman for Prudential Insurance where he was yearly a member of the Leaders' Club.
In 1954, Mr. Sopper married Dorothea Ross of Medford, Massachusetts. The couple celebrated their 51st anniversary in October of this year. In 1963, he began his career in water systems management when, together with John Falla of Winchester, he successfully deployed a listening device invented by Dr. Paul Michael of Penn State University for the purpose of isolating sound patterns. Mr. Sopper was able to use the device to identify the sound of water leaking from municipal water distribution mains. From this initial mutual discovery, Dr. Michael and Mr. Sopper maintained a lifelong personal and professional relationship.
Mr. Sopper parlayed this unique skill into a career that allowed him to save municipalities millions of gallons of water previously lost and unnaccounted. He was sought nationwide by public and private water districts and private contractors. He found single leaks that amounted to upwards of 2 million gallons per day which had been disappearing into the water table. Over the years, several brooks and at least one wetland, previously thought to have been natural, were discovered by Mr. Sopper to be the results of decades-long and highly costly leaks.
Mr. Sopper did business in Winchester as Pipe Line Testing Service with offices on Park Street. In 1974, Sopper and his family settled at 10 Canterbury Road where he lived until this year. He was active in town affairs beginning with a battle with graffiti on the town's railroad bridges. Mr. Sopper would rise at dawn, inspect the bridges, and with the permission of Public Works officials, remove with a sand blaster any graffiti that appeared overnight.
His community interest led to a number of official and unofficial positions in service to the town. Mr. Sopper served as Town Selectman from 1986 to 1989, and later was appointed by the governor to the Town's Housing Authority. Watching his youngest son and other children playing on a parched Ginn Field one hot summer afternoon led him to donate and install two granite drinking fountains for public use. The two remain in summer service: one at Ginn Field and the other at the Town Common.
Mr. Sopper is survived by his wife Dorothea and his children: Francis P. Jr. and his wife Susan of Dummerston, VT, Judy Godbout and her husband Don of Woburn, Eric R. and his wife Nancy of Nashua, NH and Richard J. and his wife Maryann of Woburn.
A Memorial Mass will be held in St. Mary's Church, 155 Washington St., Winchester on Wed. Dec. 28th at 10AM. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. Memorial Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 27th from 6-8 PM in the Costello Funeral Home 177 Washington St. Winchester.
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