Darrell R. Cope

Darrell Raymond Cope, son of the late Omer Raymond and Opal Olive (Keith) Cope, was born May 31, 1925, on the family farm north of Hartville, Missouri, and passed away July 13, 2022, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. He was 97 years, 1 month, and 13 days of age.

Darrell grew up in the Hartville area and graduated from Hartville High School with the class of 1943. He joined the United States Army in 1944 and served his country in World War II in the European Theatre. He attained the rank of First Sergeant before being honorably discharged in 1945. After he returned from the war, he attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.

Darrell was united in marriage to Ima Lawler on March 3, 1948, and two children were born to this union: Bob and Pam. He worked as a rural mail carrier for 31½ years, retiring in 1980. As a child, his siblings called him “Bill The Boss”. He was a born leader and he carried that nickname the rest of his life. Darrell became the Hartville Fire Chief in 1955 and served in that capacity until 1991. He was a very active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows until his passing, and he served as Grand Master from 1968 to 1969. After Ima passed away, Darrell married Wanda Keith in 1998.

He also served on the Steele Memorial Cemetery board, and he was a very active member of the Democrat Party. He was very active in the Hartville American Legion Post #45 and VFW Post #3135. He really enjoyed going to the Hartville High School and speaking to the history classes about his experiences in World War II.

He was saved at a very young age at a revival at Cope Church that their teacher took them to. When he returned home, he witnessed to his family and his parents were also saved. Darrell was a deacon and a Sunday school teacher at the Hartville Free Will Baptist Church.

Darrell’s hobbies included fishing, trapping, and hunting. He was able to make many fishing trips to Canada. He always kept a huge garden that he worked in, and he was always ready and eager to help a neighbor in need.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ima, in 1996, his wife, Wanda, in 2017, his sister, Janet Stigall, and three brothers, Wayne, Lavern, and Lavell Cope.

Darrell is survived by his son, Bob Cope and his wife, Greta, of Hartville, Missouri, his daughter, Pam Latimer and her husband, Larue, of Hartville, Missouri, two step-daughters, Karen Ellis and her husband, Jim, and Kathy Claxton, three grandchildren, Aaron Cope and his wife, Nicole, David Dennis and his wife, Melony, and Marianne Beard and her husband, Jason, three great-grandchildren, McKenzie and her husband, Daniel, Cameron, and John, and many nephews, nieces, and extended family and friends who will miss him.