Fondly remembering the co-founder of R&M pool and garden center

Melanie Cooper, the M of R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Gardens in Clayton, entered the garden of heaven while surrounded by her whole family on June 9.

Melanie was born in Pennsylvania in 1947. Her parents moved the family for a work opportunity to Concord when she was 6 years old. Melanie attended local schools and graduated from Mt. Diablo High School in 1965.

Melanie was a remarkably driven woman. She raised her two sons, David and Jonathon Hackett, as a single mother during a time when women didn’t often do that. She provided for her family by constantly working, whether it was as a bank teller, a realtor or a pipe fitter at Chevron.

In 1979, Melanie finished building their home on a five-acre parcel on Morgan Territory Road. Melanie loved living in the country, where she and the boys could have their fill of dogs, raise pigs and ride dirt bikes.

The property contained a big vinyl pool. One day, the filter needed fixing, so Melanie went into a local pool store, at the site where Clayton Bikes is now. This is where she met Roy, her future partner in life and in business.

You can’t speak of Melanie without speaking about Roy, the R of R&M. They worked together side by side, seven days of week, for nearly 38 years. They had a partnership built with love: Love for each other, love for their family, love for their business, love for their dogs and love for their gardens.

Melanie and Roy married on Easter Sunday in 1983. In September of that year, they opened R&M Pool and Patio in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center. With David and Jonathon, they built the shelves and purchased inventory.

Roy took care of the pool equipment repairs, while Melanie worked the shop. The boys helped after school and with the pool route during summers.

Melanie was an avid gardener. She and Roy would spend Mondays (the day the shop was closed) planting, amending, putting in irrigation and designing their gardens. Every evening after work, they would stroll through their gardens with their Corgis, Kimmie, Cooper and Sweet Prince William.

In 1996, Melanie was inspired to purchase an acre of property on Marsh Creek Road. She and Roy decided to move their family business there, creating R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Gardens. Melanie was able to build a nursery, surrounding herself with the plants she loved.

As the years passed, Melanie became a grandmother to Tyler and then Lance. The boys started coming to work at R&M with their mom Nicole, Jonathon’s wife, when they were just 8 weeks old. Melanie got to watch them grow every day.

Melanie was a risk-taker with a keen entrepreneurial sense. She found a way to make things happen.

Melanie was always sparkling, with glimmering jewelry and hats. She looked great in red and was almost never seen without her red lipstick.

All that knew her will miss her beautiful face and spirit.

The family will honor Melanie in a private memorial in the weeks to come.