He was born on Sunday, June 7, 1936, in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, the son of Elmer and Odell Cooper. Yancey played basketball for the Fleming County Panthers while attending Fleming County High School and often bragged about scoring 12 points in his three years on the team. After moving to Muncie in 1955, Yancey began working at Delco Battery and continued to work there for 43 years until retiring in 1998. He met and married his loving wife, Shirley, in 1973. They remained married for 36 years until her death in 2009. He was a talented singer and musician. In the late 1960's, he helped form a local country band called The Country Charms. He continued playing with the band until the early 1990's. Yancey was an active member of The Bluegrass Association for many years. He was partial owner and operator of the Old Milton School Music Establishment in Milton, Indiana from 1999-2002. Yancey also enjoyed traveling to various country and bluegrass festivals with his best friends, Lloyd and Susie Ross, of Centerville, Indiana.
Yancey was a lifelong fan of the Kentucky Wildcats. He loved watching Family Feud, The Andy Griffith Show, and his all-time favorite, Sanford and Son.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 36 years, Shirley Cooper; and son, Derrick Cooper.
Yancey is survived by his daughter, Carmen Sturgeon, of Bloomington, Indiana; son, Eric Cooper, of Beijing China; and daughter, Michelle Cooper, of Somers Point, New Jersey; three grandchildren, Heather Kirkpatrick and Dean Cooper of Houston, Texas, and Sabrina Short of Bloomington, Indiana; four great-grandchildren; sister, Betty Stevens; and several nieces and nephews. Yancey also leaves special friends, Sandy Collins; David Royce; and longtime caretaker, David Brown, who was always on what we called "Yancey Duty", to cherish his loving memory.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to mail carriers, Glen Peckinpaugh and James Rees; Sheriff, Ray Dudley; and the Delaware County Sheriff's Department for their care and compassion over the past several years.
A Celebration of Life Service for Yancey will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. at Elm Ridge Funeral Home, 4600 West Kilgore Avenue, Muncie, Indiana 47304.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Elm Ridge Memorial Park.
On-line condolences for the family may be directed to:
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