William Eugene Copple, Sr.

William Eugene Copple, Sr., was born April 12, 1930 in Drumright, Oklahoma. He was the son of Vilas E. and MayHatten Copple. Bill moved with his family at an early age to Cleveland where they settled near Boston Pool. He was raised and attended school in Cleveland, graduating from Cleveland High School in 1948. While attending high school, Bill was a member of the Cleveland Tiger Football team. During this time, he was also active in the First Presbyterian Church where he was baptized into the family of Christ.

Upon graduation from high school, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and served honorably during the Korean Conflict. Upon his discharge from military service, Bill returned to Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma A&M for three years.
While attending Oklahoma A&M, he was a member of the Oklahoma State Symphonic Orchestra playing the tuba. He was fortunate during this time to meet the composer of his favorite musical composition, The Grand Canyon Suite. Bill was married to Edna Adams on September 20, 1953 at the First Baptist Church in Cleveland.

After three years in the engineering curriculum at Oklahoma A&M, Bill accepted employment as a design engineer with McDonald Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, where he worked for nearly five years. He then worked the next thirteen years for National Tank which later became CENATCO, continuing to work as a design engineer. The couple moved to Ponca City in 1974 when Bill accepted employment for Heater Technology. In 1979, they returned to the Tulsa area as Bill began working as a self employed electrical engineer. Later he accepted employment with Whirlpool where he continued to work, until for health reasons, was forced to retire.

Bill was a devout Christian and was active in church most of his life. In Cleveland, he assisted in the building of the First Presbyterian Church Educational Building by donating his skill as an electrician. While residing in Tulsa, Bill was a charter member and elder at the Northside Presbyterian Church. While in Ponca City, the couple transferred their membership to the First Presbyterian Church there. He always placed his familyís needs ahead of his own and was a compassionate and wonderful husband as well as a loving father who served as a spiritual guide for his children.

Bill was an avid vegetable gardener and enjoyed canning. He continued to love music throughout his life, especially orchestrated musical compositions. He was a member of both the American Legion and Masonic Lodge. Bill passed away on Saturday, November 8, 2003 at his home near Collinsville at the age of seventy-three years, six months and twenty-six days. He was preceded in death by his parents; and two bothers, Signor Sylvester Copple and Dr. David Copple.

Bill is survived by his wife of fifty years, Edna of the home; daughter, Deborah Jean Copple Montgomery of Collinsville, Oklahoma; three sons, William E. Copple, Jr. of Hominy, Oklahoma, Brian Spencer Copple of Pryor, Oklahoma and Sean Vilas Copple of Godfrey, Illinois; ten grandchildren, Stephanie D. Long of Hominy, Oklahoma, Steven D. Copple of Hominy, Oklahoma, C. Brian Montgomery of Hominy, Oklahoma, Briana K. Montgomery of Collinsville, Oklahoma Charles L. Montgomery, III of Collinsville, Oklahoma, Shelby Brooke Coe of Adair, Oklahoma, John Garett Coe of Adair, Oklahoma, Eathan Tanner Coe of Pryor, Oklahoma, Mathias Josef Copple of Godfrey, Illinois and Anneliese Nicole Copple of Godfrey, Illinois; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Louise Brown and Martha Baker, both of Tulsa.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, November 11, 2003 at the First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland with Rev. David Seward officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society.

Visit and online obituary and guestbook for Bill Copple at www.chapman-black.com.