Lela Faye Cope

Lela was born on September 9, 1921 in Waurika, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Samuel Albert Hughes and Georgia Mae Dobbs Hughes. At the age of three, her family moved to Minco, Oklahoma where her father was a cotton farmer.

She graduated from She attended school in a one-room schoolhouse in Minco, graduating from Minco High School in 1939.

On March 27, 1941 Lela exchanged wedding vows with John Henry Cope, the love or her life. They enjoyed 65 years together before John passed away in 2006. John was learning to be a pilot and would fly over her home dropping messages tied to a rock. That is how he proposed.

Lela worked hard to be a good mother to her children and she did her best to fulfill their needs. Lela was blessed with two daughters. Sandra, and Sharyn and one son, Brian. Another blessing for Lela was the gift of five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, Dale, Troy, John, Gary, Susan, Emily, Samantha, Cole, Lauen, Ava, and Olivia.

Lela Faye’s favorite food was a good steak. The Sound of Music was her favorite movie, and she loved big band music. She loved the color red and was an avid reader her entire life. She believed in living life to the fullest, making every day count. Her friends were friends for life. She was tolerant, patient and loving. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by her family and all who knew her.

The Copes loved to travel, both before John retired from Braniff airlines and after – cruises to the Greek Islands, the Caribbean and Alaska, and trips to Hong Kong, Mexico, South America and Europe. When John retired in 1977, they built a home near the beach in Rincon de Guayabitos, Mexico where they lived for 17 years before Lela Faye’s aneurysm caused them to move back to the U.S. When Lela recovered, they continued to travel around the United States and Canada by motor home. At ages 87 and 82, they headed for Alaska in a 40-foot recreational vehicle where they spent two months touring the countryside. Soon after this, they lost their daughter Sharyn.

Lela passed away on October 15, 2016 in Euless, Texas. She is survived by three children, Sandra, Brian and Sharyn; five grandchildren, Dale, Troy, John, Gary and Susan; and six great-grandchildren, Emily, Samantha, Cole, Lauren, Ava and Olivia. Services were held at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Colleyville, texas. Lela was laid to rest in Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park in Colleyville, Texas.

Lela Faye’s favorite food was a good steak. The Sound of Music was her favorite movie, and she loved big band music. She loved the color red and was an avid reader her entire life. She believed in living life to the fullest, making every day count. She remarked on this often, particularly after surviving brain surgery following her aneurysms in the early 1990’s. Her friends were friends for life. She was tolerant, patient and loving. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by her family and all who knew her.

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Lela Faye Cope was born September 9, 1921, in Waurika, Oklahoma to Samuel Albert Hughes and Georgia Mae Dobbs Hughes. At the age of three, her family moved to Minco, Oklahoma where her father was a cotton farmer. Her family was large and to this day, she has many family members throughout Oklahoma. She attended school in a one-room schoolhouse in Minco, graduating from Minco High School in 1939. She met John Henry Cope, the love or her life, in Tuttle, Oklahoma. John was learning to be a pilot and would fly over her home dropping messages tied to a rock. That is how he proposed. They were married on March 27, 1941, and enjoyed 65 years together before John passed away in 2006. Lela Faye and John had three children, Sandra, Brian and Sharyn; five grandchildren, Dale, Troy, John, Gary and Susan; and six great-grandchildren, Emily, Samantha, Cole, Lauren, Ava and Olivia. The Copes loved to travel, both before John retired from Braniff airlines and after – cruises to the Greek Islands, the Caribbean and Alaska, and trips to Hong Kong, Mexico, South America and Europe. When John retired in 1977, they built a home near the beach in Rincon de Guayabitos, Mexico where they lived for 17 years before Lela Faye’s aneurysm caused them to move back to the U.S. When Lela recovered, they continued to travel around the United States and Canada by motorhome. At ages 87 and 82, they headed for Alaska in a 40-foot recreational vehicle where they spent two months touring the countryside. Soon after this, they lost their daughter Sharyn. Lela Faye’s favorite food was a good steak. The Sound of Music was her favorite movie, and she loved big band music. She loved the color red and was an avid reader her entire life. She believed in living life to the fullest, making every day count. She remarked on this often, particularly after surviving brain surgery following her aneurysms in the early 1990’s. Her friends were friends for life. She was tolerant, patient and loving. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by her family and all who knew her.