Cynthia Jeannie Costopoulos

Cynthia Jeannie Costopoulos, age 66, passed away on Tuesday September 22, 2026 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 6, at the Scottsbluff Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 3102 Avenue D in Scottsbluff.

Jeannie, as she was known by friends and family, was born on March 10, 1960 in Port Hueneme, California, to Marvin and Bonnie Meeker. The family moved to Nevada, Iowa and from there, when Jeannie was 3 years old, to Lincoln, Nebraska. Jeannie attended Helen Hyatt Elementary School from Kindergarten through 7th grade. As a child, Jeannie enjoyed playing paper dolls with her cousins and Monopoly with her brothers. She displayed a talent for leadership, and although the youngest of the older children always completed her share of household chores.

Jeannie moved to Bison, Kansas with her father and younger brother Jerry, completing her 8th grade year of school there. She next attended high school at Enterprise Academy in Enterprise, Kansas, graduating in 1978. She worked in the cafeteria to defray tuition. Classmates remember her being unfailingly kind and pleasant, and that she was Christ-like in all she did.

Jeannie attended Union College (now Union Adventist University) in Lincoln, Nebraska. She earned a Bachelor’s degree of Education, graduating in May of 1983. While at Union, Jeannie spent one school year as a Student Missionary in Palau, serving the Palauan people and sharing in their culture.

Jeannie’s first teaching job was with Wichita South Church in Wichita, Kansas. While teaching there she was introduced to her future husband, George Costopoulos, by would-be match makers, Sue Schnell and Kellie Thompson. They soon married and moved to Wyoming. She lived on the family farm for a couple of years before returning to her first love, teaching in a Seventh-day Adventist Church School.

Jeannie and husband George moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming to continue her teaching duties. While living in Cheyenne, the couple made a lot of dear friends. Many friends went through some very trying times. One close friend was Reene Pollard who lost her battle to cancer. Jeannie spent many hours with Reene, talking and sharing – just being together through a very difficult time.

From Cheyenne the couple moved to Brighton, Colorado to allow Jeannie to continue her service to enlarge the Lord’s Kingdom. She really enjoyed her time teaching with other like-minded educators. Jeannie became known as the field trip Queen. Once, she took the kindergarten class on a field trip where the windows were all open on the bus and the students began chanting “We do not know how to read” over and over again gleefully at full volume with the school name clearly showing on the side of the bus.

Many more dear friends were made while in Brighton. It was with a heavy heart Jeannie looked for another place where she could employ her love of teaching. She found a teacher opening in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Yea, she and George would be closer to the farm. Together they embraced the move. Leaving the view of the mountains and a home within an hour of them was the hardest part of moving. Many return trips have occurred since leaving Brighton behind.

Welcome to Scottsbluff, Nebraska – The Good Life. Back to a multi-grade, one room school!!! She made a splash with the students and the church members. She was more than just a teacher and her talents were utilized and sometimes stretched to the limit. She continued to serve the Lord though it was sometimes difficult. After she taught for over 10 years and trained many students in the love of Jesus and serving others, many are still following in the Lord’s footsteps.

Through many trials and struggles the Lord has been able to keep Valley View School open. With only one student to teach, her student since first grade, the church voted to keep the school open one final year. Jeannie was looking forward to this being her last year of teaching and then she could retire and spend many precious moments with the grand boys. These plans were detoured, and a trying and difficult unplanned journey began. The journey was short and fast, nobody could believe how fast. She is resting now in the arms of Jesus, the One she loves so much and has served so faithfully.

Jeannie is survived by her husband George; son, Nicholas John Costopoulos and his partner, Meranda Arrellano; 2 grandsons, Jovan and James; her father, Marvin Dale Meeker II; brothers, Marvin Meeker III, Woodrow Meeker and Gerald Meeker; sisters- and brothers-in-law Chris and Herb French, Kathy and Brad France, Shirley Costopoulos and Jane Fisher, and Elaine and Ron Bernatow.

Jeannie was preceded in death by her mother Bonnie Schwarck and Harold Schwark, her mother- and father-in-law Dorothy and Tommie Costopoulos, and step-mother Mildred Meeker.

Thoughts from Erica DeWaard - Three years old.

She didn't know what it was like to pray desperately for someone you love. She didn't know what it felt like when life changed in a phone call. She didn't know grief. She didn't know the helpless feeling of watching someone suffer when there is absolutely nothing you can do to make it better. She didn't know there would be nights when sleep wouldn't come because your brain simply refused to shut off. She didn't know there would eventually be moments when you realize that no amount of planning, working, fixing, worrying, or trying harder can put something back the way it was.

Revelation 21:4 says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com for the family. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.