Obituary of Leland Cope

Leland Stanton Cope, Jr.

Stanton Cope, age 92, of Stuart, Fl.and Panama City,Fl., passed away Thursday, March 24, 2011. He was born December 7, 1918 in Muskogee, OK to Leland Stanton Cope Sr. and Lela (Suhre) Cope.

Stanton attended Oklahoma University where he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity until the start of World War II. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served until the end of the war. After the war, he resumed his college education at UCLA and graduated with a degree in Accounting. He married the love of his life, Barbara Baker Cope in 1945. Stanton had a love of the water, golf, and poker. He was an accomplished pilot and would get great pleasure in flying his friends and family to various destinations.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Barbara Baker Cope; two brothers Robert Cope and Richard Cope; and one sister Carolyn Cope Mahan.

He is survived by his loving companion of 18 years Jeanne Ryan, three daughters Merrill (Bill) Drummond, Springfield, MO; Cynthia (Jerry) Simpson, Stuart, FL and Teresa (Jay) Howard, Panama City, FL, two granddaughters, Jessica Hays Podoski and Diana Hays Farinacci and a grandson, Brian Howard. Three great-grandchildren as well as one nephew and three nieces also survive him.

Prior to his retirement, he worked as a Realtor at Land and River Real Estate.

His legacy is that he was a really good guy, great father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Funeral services will be graveside at 11:00 am Wednesday, March 30th at Forest Hills Memorial Park in Palm City, Fl.

Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Hills Funeral Homes, Palm City Chapel.

A guest registry may be signed on: foresthillspalmcityflorida.com