Cooper Chapel's Legacy of Trust and Service to the Oakland Community

Cooper Chapel Mortuary in Oakland sits in the heart of the Fruitvale District. Beleaguered with homelessness, gang violence, abject poverty, addiction and high unemployment, the area has been described as bleak and hopeless.

Eduardo De Loa doesn’t see it that way.

De Loa, Cooper Chapel’s location manager, sees the people. “These are my friends and neighbors,” he says. “When I look into their eyes I see an extension of myself.”

Though mortuaries deal with death and its aftermath, Cooper Chapel also deals with life. The mortuary, which is part of Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services (CFCS), has served the community for nearly 100 years. Now, continuing a legacy of trust and service, De Loa is committed to the revitalization of the Fruitvale District and the surrounding area. Day after day, De Loa makes home visits, talks with the residents and participates in community activities meant to foster relationships and promote healing.

Like a trusted big brother or favorite uncle, De Loa’s demeanor is cheerful and easygoing, but his gaze turns serious when he talks about his mission. “I’m a hands-on manager,” he says.“I humbly accept the calling to go into the community and connect with the people in a way that models the love and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a lot of hurt here, but there’s also beauty. I want to reflect the position of CFCS to extend dignity and respect to everyone I come into contact with.”

That calling represents the vision of CFCS.

“We’re in the community and we’re not just trying to hold it together, we’re trying to make it better,” says Yolanda Contaxis, family service director and administrator at Cooper Chapel. “That is the vision that Eduardo has brought since coming here nearly two years ago. His goal is to step out of the box and to reach this community that has suffered so much, and it’s working. He’s building relationships.”

The chapel regularly hosts events such as tours for students from St. Mary’s College in nearby Moraga. Here, students enrolled in a course on death and dying will get a firsthand look at the compassion involved in caring for the deceased and their survivors.

At a recent Epiphany celebration at Plaza De La Fuente, De Loa emceed and handed out candy to local children. The event drew nearly 300 residents, merchants and community leaders including mayor Jean Quan. The celebration was especially meaningful to De Loa, a father of four.

The result is a partnership built on trust and respect. In their time of need, residents of the community know that De Loa is a friend. “We want to be there when they need us,” he says. “A funeral doesn’t stop with the event. The real work goes on long after that’s over.”

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