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In Loving Memory of Frances Cope
Frances Inez McDaniel Cope was born on 16 March 1927 in Flint, MI to Richard and Gladys (Turnage) McDaniel. She died on 30 August 2016 at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield of pneumonia, a complication of Alzheimer's, at the age of 89.
Frances grew up on a farm in the Frisco, MO area and attended school at Trotter and Gray Ridge. She was married first to William Albert Rainwater on 15 March 1941 in Bloomfield. They were divorced in 1968. Her second marriage was to Finis Newton Cope on 23 November 1974 at Steele.
Frances dropped out of high school to marry and a vivid dream made her decide to continue her education. She got her high school equivalency at age 28. When she moved to Fontana, CA the following fall, she discovered that Chafee Community College was free and a bus would pick her up at the end of the block. She was in heaven! She loved school and loved to learn! She was always grateful to those who helped her obtain a college education.
Frances worked at the shoe and shirt factories in Dexter after her marriage and then moved to Flint, MI near the end of WWII to work as a gun and bomb sight inspector.
In 1959, she got her teaching certificate from Arkansas State and taught 5th grade at Essex for three years. In 1969, at age 42, she earned a degree in Social Work from SEMO State. She was a social worker for the Missouri Department of Social Services in Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Sikeston from 1968 till her retirement in 1992 after 25 years of faithful service. She worked in the children's division for 15 years and was a hotline worker for neglected and abused children. The last 10 years of her career, she worked for the Division of Aging.
Frances was baptized into the Catholic faith at Sacred Heart Church in Dexter on 15 August 1965. She moved to Sikeston after her husband’s death and was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church for many years. After retirement from social work, she volunteered for 10 years as a "Pink Lady" in the gift shop at Missouri Delta Memorial Hospital. She was a lifelong Democrat. She loved to listen to music and had an extensive collection of her favorites. She was always an avid reader.
Her great loves were Faith, Family, Service, Learning, and Music which gave joy and meaning to her life. Frances had a kind and gentle soul and a beautiful smile. She touched the lives of many and everyone loved her. Even in the last stages of Alzheimer's she hugged and kissed her family and those who took care of her. She had lost the ability to speak, except for "I love you," the most important words of all.
Frances is survived by her daughters Brenda Rainwater Garner (Bethel) and Gloria Rainwater Wethington (Don) of Bloomfield, MO.
Grandchildren: Keith Garner (Bambi), of Waco, TX; Dena Garner Creg Emerson (Rod) of Charleston, MO; Sherri Garner Moore Kennedy (Paul) of Russellville, MO; Lisa Wethington Pulley (Tim) of Bloomfield, MO; Tara Wethington Cooper Halcomb (Tim) of Rogersville, MO; Sharon Wethington Slayton (Steve) of Fairdealing, MO; and Jay Yourch (Kim) of Raleigh, NC.
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Great-grandchildren: Hilary Garner Hollingshad Hamilton (Eric) of Bardstown, KY; Josh Creg of Dexter, MO; Heather Creg Dowdy of Charleston, MO; Laura Creg Pruett of Bloomfield, MO; Catherine Lucas-Creg Gibson (Duke) of Dexter, MO; Jennifer Moore Guthrie (Wayne) of Sikeston, MO; John and Adam Kennedy of Russellville, MO; Matt Pulley (Cassy), Megan Pulley Henson (Aron), Michael and Mason Pulley of Bloomfield, MO; Briget Cooper of Rogersville, MO; Brittany Slayton (Jeff Micke) of Festes, MO; Courtney, Derek and Abby Slayton of Fairdealing, MO; Kathryn and Andrew Yourch of Raleigh, NC.
Great-great-grandchildren: Harley Hollingshad, Landon and Weston Hamilton; Ryleigh, Brendan, and Karsynn Dowdy; Cayton and Logan Pruett & Kodi Creg; Kayleigh & Alleigh Gibson; Mila and Cali Guthrie; Emmitt & Asher Pulley, and Collin Henson.
Frances was preceded in death by her spouse Finis Cope, parents Richard and Gladys McDaniel and siblings James Lee McDaniel and Harriet June McDaniel Widrig.
A funeral mass is to be celebrated by Fr. David Dohogne at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dexter on Saturday, 3 September 2016, followed by interment at Walker Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Memorials can be made to: Mayo Clinic – Alzheimer’s Research, 200 First Street NW, Rochester, MN 55905.
The family would like to thank those angels at Central Gardens, Golden Living and Crown Hospice who ministered to her during her ten year journey with Alzheimer's. Words cannot express how much you have meant to her and to us!
