James Melbourne COPP

COPP, JOHNSON, COOPER, FRITZ, EICHELBERGER, HOLMES, IVES

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/12/2017 at 00:10:07

July 25, 1924 --- February 2, 2017

James Copp, age 92, of Clarinda, [Iowa] entered into peace Thursday, Feb. 2 at Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska. No services will be held at this time. Burial will be in Memory Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be given in his name. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Clarinda.

James Melbourne Copp was born July 25, 1924 in Eagle Grove to Frank Copp and Mary (Johnson) Copp. He grew up in the Eagle Grove area and graduated from Eagle Grove High School. Following his graduation, he hopped the rails and traveled to Washington. While in Washington, he worked as an auto mechanic. In his life time he worked for the railroad and his love for the railroad continued throughout his lifetime. When World War II broke out he traveled back to Iowa and entered the United States Army at the age of 19 on March 23, 1943. He served in the Rhineland and Central Europe as a construction machinery mechanic and was taken to the front lines when equipment needed repair. As a member of the Eighth Infantry Division he entered combat east of the bulge on March 6, 1945. He was awarded two bronze stars and two Combat Battle Stars. His company opened the gates of a concentration camp and he found himself a few feet from General Omar Bradley, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General Bernard Montgomery. He was discharged Jan. 26, 1946. Jim was honored by the Society of Survivors of the Holocaust on April 7, 1979.

Jim was an excellent auto mechanic and worked at the Evans Motor Company in Clarinda. He retired from the Lisle Corporation. He was united in marriage to Lorraine Cooper August 16, 1957. Jim enjoyed gardening and shared his produce and was especially proud of his tomatoes. His activities included hunting, fishing, reloading shells, cooking and baking. He was also a first class handyman. He was a good neighbor. His dog was very special to him and enjoyed sharing stories about him.

Preceding Jim in death were his parents; sisters, Eleanor, Mary, Beverly, infant sister Clovis; brothers, Alvin and Franklin; son-in-law, Larry Fritz. Survivors include his wife Lorraine Copp of Clarinda; sons, John Eichelberger of Colorado and Charles Copp of Clarinda; daughters, Chris Holmes and Tom Ives of Clarinda and Ellen Fritz of Council Bluffs; numerous grandchildren and several great grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.

Clarinda Herald-Journal --- Clarinda, Iowa
February 9, 2017