Jo Coplea

TORRINGTON, WYOMING...........Memorial services for JO ELLEN COPLEA 81, will be held at 10am Thursday, September 30, 2010 at the Colyer Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Don Mathis officiating. Burial will follow in the LaGrange, Wyoming cemetery. Jo Ellen died September 23, 2010 in Little America, Wyoming and cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to the Torrington Senior Friendship Center. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Jo Ellen was born November 5, 1928 in Lyman, Nebraska the daughter of Charles and Nellie (Schooley) Vaughn. They moved to LaGrange, Wyoming where she grew up and received her education. She married Warren Coplea in 1948 and they lived at many military bases across the country while he served in the military. After the military they lived in Illinois for a short time and then divorced. She moved to California to live for a number of years. She mainly worked as the office manager and bookkeeper for Red Coach Restaurants in San Jose, California. She retired there and moved to Torrington, Wyoming. She was involved in and several organizations which kept her busy. Jo Ellen enjoyed collecting spoons, coins, and stamps. She loved to work crossword puzzles and play bingo. She was a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary Post 2918, the American Legion Auxiliary Post 5, the DAV Auxiliary, Gold Star Wives of American, the Gardening How To Club, and Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. Jo Ellen is survived by three sons Gary Coplea and his wife Cathy of Lake Havasu, Arizona, Neil Coplea and his wife Anna of Ft. Mohave, Arizona, and Warren Lee Coplea; a daughter Darlene Bosak and her husband Ron of Loveland, Colorado; her father Charles Vaughn of Oroville, California; a sister Margaret Nemec and her husband Jim of Coos Bay, Oregon; an uncle Richard Vaughn of Denver, Colorado; a niece Wanda Russ and her husband John of Torrington, Wyoming; a special friend Beverly Carpenter and her husband Geo of Morrill, Nebraska; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. She was Grandma Jo to many children in Torrington. She was preceded in death by her mother and stepfather, Fred and Nellie Thomas; both husbands, Warren Coplea and H.L. Cooper; a sister and brother-in-law Freda and Merle Babbitt; two brothers Freddie and Tommie Thomas; half sister Barbara Felton; a nephew Jiggs Lee Babbitt; and sister-in-law Jean Thomas.

Jo Coplea

November 5, 1928 - September 23, 2010