L. Joe Cope

L. Joe Cope, 80, was born on July 2, 1941 in Yates Center, Kansas. The son of Elmo and Elma(Weide) Cope. He passed away on April 27, 2022, at his home.

Joe Cope graduated from Rosalia High School in 1959 and attended Butler Community College. Joe married Judy Darlene Gray on July 26th, 1964, at the Leon United Methodist Church, they were married for 48 years. Joe enjoyed his life as a farmer and rancher in the Rosalia area. He was a member of the Rosalia United Methodist Church, Rosalia and served on the Flinthills School Board. He was also a volunteer firefighter for the Rosalia Rural Fire Department. His family and grandchildren were very important to him, he was affectionately known as Cowboy Grandpa and Pa Joe by his great-grandkids.

He is survived by his children, Clinton Albert Cope (Sarah), of Burns, KS, Jeffrey Allen Cope (Karen), of Emporia, KS, and Tammy Jo Brown (Aaron), El Dorado, KS. Nine grandchildren, Lydia (Kyle) Long, Emporia, Danielle (Adrian) Baker, Manhattan, Adam (Tristen) Cope, Marion, Sadie (Justin) Irvine, Manhattan, Jacob (Shelby) Cope, El Dorado, Gina (Levi) Lowe, Moline, Chloe Cope, Emporia, Cari Brown, Emporia, and Amanda Brown, El Dorado. Eight great-grandchildren, Lukas Cope, Quinton Bueno, Bentley Bueno, Beau Long, Hadley Long, Stratton Long, of Emporia, Hayzen Cope of El Dorado and Baby Lowe due in November. Brother, Steve Cope (Lynda), El Dorado and sister Berthadean (Dean) Bender, Rosalia, brother-in-laws Lyle (Shirley) Gray, El Dorado and Tom Hinton, Rosalia.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife Judy (Gray) Cope, his parents Elmo and Elma Cope; sisters, Connie Copeland, Arlene Hinton, Darlene Dorsett and brothers-in-law Richard Dorsett and Martin Copeland.

Memorial contributions can be made to, Rosalia United Methodist Church or Flinthills High School Theatre Department.

Friends may gather with the family from 5-7pm on Friday, April 29 at Carlson Colonial Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 30 at 10am at Carlson Colonial Funeral Home. Joe will be laid to rest at Blankinship Cemetery in Rosalia. Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Joe at www.carlsonkirbymorris.com