JoAnne Ruth Young

JoAnne Ruth Cope was born to Albert E. and Helen Ruth Cope in Sheridan, Wyoming, on September 19, 1925. She had an older brother, Edward Harrison (Buddy) Cope. Buddy and JoAnne were joined 3 years later by another sibling, William Frank Cope.

When she was very young the family moved to Denver, Colorado. In 1942 she graduated from Denver’s South High School and attended the University of Denver for one year.

She then worked at Gates Rubber Company as a bookkeeper (she was always very good with numbers) and while there met and married Bob Young in 1954. They lived in Littleton, Colorado, for many years. She became stepmom to Bob’s son, Bobby, and Bob was stepdad to JoAnne’s daughter, Maggie.

During the children’s growing up years, when Maggie was in Girl Scouts, JoAnne was active as a Girl Scout troop leader and also trained other leaders. The family did a lot of tent camping in the Rocky Mountains, and she used many of the Girl Scout methods to make camping more efficient and enjoyable. JoAnne especially loved fishing for rainbow trout in the mountain streams and she really knew how to cook those fish…they were delicious!

In 1960 the next door neighbors invited JoAnne and Maggie to attend church with them. It was a life changing and eternal experience! Both came to know Jesus as their personal savior and from then on JoAnne was very active in church. She even helped found a group for seniors called The Lamplighters. That name had a special meaning. It came from the Scripture verse, Psalm 119:105, which says, “Your (God’s) word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path”. As older believers, they were to be a lamp to help those who were younger in Christ follow the light of God’s word and live for Him each day.

JoAnne worked for Kelly Girls, a temporary office help service to help fund Maggie’s college education.

After Bobby and Maggie graduated from high school and moved away from home Bob and JoAnne gave up tenting and bought a motor home. They continued to camp and travel, spending a few winters in Brownsville, TX. They also attended several Army Air Corps reunions in Florida and Texas, commemorating Bob’s years in World War II as a waist gunner on a B-24. They made special friends with whom JoAnne kept in touch even after Bob’s passing.

She always loved music and books (at one time she had wanted to be a librarian) and occasionally wrote poetry. She enjoyed the Denver Orchestra’s concerts in Denver’s Washington Park in the summer time; and attended the Cherry Creek Chorale whenever they performed.

Bob passed away in 1993. JoAnne stayed in their home until 2008 when she was no longer able to live independently. She then moved to Waupaca, WI, to be close to her daughter Maggie and her family.

She spent 9 years in Wisconsin, most of them in a nursing home. She went home to be with her Savior on Friday, December 15.

JoAnne is survived by her daughter, Maggie (Gary) Elmer, granddaughters Brenda (Jason) Gross, and Julie (Todd) Barneson; and 5 great grandchildren, Jacob, Garrett, and Evan Gross; and Cora and Calvin Barneson.