Lou Ellen Truesdale

Visitation and Remembrance of Ellen’s accomplishments will be held in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church in Killeen, Texas at 3501 E. Elms Road at 12:30pm followed by a Memorial Service in the sanctuary at 2:00pm on January 21, 2023. Ellen was called to heaven on December 31, 2022.

Lou Ellen Cooper was born to Joe and Bernice Cooper on November 6, 1945, and grew up on the family farm between Holland and Salado. She was the oldest of 7 sisters and brothers and graduated from Holland High School in 1963. After high school. Ellen attended Mary Hardin-Baylor College in Belton, Texas majoring in all level Health/Physical Education and received her BS degree in 1967. In the fall of that year, she took a job as a P.E. teacher at Sugar Loaf Elementary in Killeen, Texas. On July 20, 1968, she married the luckiest guy in the world, Charles A. Truesdale, of Temple, Texas in the Holland First United Methodist Church. During the summer of 1971, she completed her classroom certification at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas and returned to Sugar Loaf to teach 5th Grade. When Smith Middle School opened on Fort Hood, Ellen was asked to go teach P.E. and coach Volleyball, Basketball and Track. Two years later, when Ellison High School opened, she was asked to move up and teach Health, P.E. and coach. After coaching, she taught Health and started the first Outdoor Education and CPR/First Aide classes at Ellison. Ellen and Chuck both really enjoyed taking her Outdoor education kids on overnight campouts. One year during her time at Ellison she was presented with the award of Outstanding Teacher of the Year. After 35 years of service, she retired in 2002. Ellen said, “My most memorable moment in my career was being named Secondary Teacher of the Year for KISD by the Killeen Class Teachers Association in 1981.” Her life consisted of much more than just being an educator. After joining First United Methodist Church with Chuck in 1968, she was very involved in numerous worship groups, held many church positions, and was involved in many activities, such as MYF, Sunday School, Fried Pie making, and her favorite being a member of Abigail Circle. She totally enjoyed being outdoors, and she and Chuck spent much time in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming and enjoyed camping, backpacking, canoeing, hunting, fishing, and all aspects of nature. Ellen was a member and officer of Colonial Dames XVII Century Governor Samuel Mathews Chapter, served as a race official for the Texas Water Safari for 29 years, and was a committee member of the Killeen/Fort Hood Chapter of Ducks Unlimited for 45 years.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Bernice Cooper; brother, James Cooper; and sister, Rebecca Cooper.

Ellen is survived by her husband Chuck Truesdale; sister, Peggy Sralla, Wanda Cooper. Karen Sanders; and brother, John Cooper.

Interment will be in a place both she and Chuck dearly loved, the Lampasas River, upon the time of Chuck’s passing. Their wonderful yellow Labrador Retriever Golden Remington Steel, will be joining them.

Ellen’s request was that memorials be sent to Holland High School or the Health/Physical Education Department at Mary Hardin-Baylor.