Verna (Heald) Cope

Columbiana - Verna Heald Cope, age 102, of Columbiana, died on Thursday, September 26, 2024, in her home after a lengthy illness. She was under the care of Hospice of the Valley for 4 years.

She was born on December 14, 1921, in Glendale, CA, daughter of the late Alfred and Alice Thomasson Heald. Verna grew up in the Pasadena Friends Meeting (Quakers) Conservative and graduated from Olney Friends School in Barnesville, OH, in 1940.

She met William L. Cope, Jr., going to Pasadena Friends Meeting after graduating from Olney. They married there May 30, 1941, in a double wedding ceremony with Floyd and Mary Hawkins.

Bill and Verna moved to Ohio in 1942 and bought the home where Verna has lived for nearly 80 years. Through her married life she and the family were faithful attendees of Middleton Friends Meeting. She was an advocate for peace and peacemaking, serving on the Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends Peace Committee for many years. She was an advisor with the Fairfield Sunshine Sisters 4-H club for over 20 years, served on the Fairfield Township election board and served as a local coordinator for Friendly Town, a summer program for inner-city children in Cleveland. In later years she worked as a secretary for Hawkins Plumbing and Heating in East Fairfield.

Verna is survived by her four children, Ted L. Cope of Beallsville, Philip (Mignon Lawless) Cope of Homossassa, FL, Paul A. (Janet) Cope of Asheville, NC and Mary Alice Pino of Columbiana; six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William L. Cope, Jr. on July 19, 2002; her brother, Iril Heald and a sister, Mary Heald Hawkins.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm at the Middleton Friends Meeting House, Columbiana where a service will follow at 2:00 pm.

Private burial will take place at Middleton Friends Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Middleton Friends Meeting or Hospice of the Valley.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, Columbiana.

Family and friends may view this obituary and send condolences at www.familycareservices.com

Middleton Friends Meeting House
44866 Crestview Rd., Columbiana OH 44408

Hospice of the Valley
979 Tibbetts Wick Road, Girard OH 44420