The Life of Gene Nelson Cope
Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 21, 2013, at 1:00 PM in First Baptist Church of Lafayette (Downtown), for Gene Nelson Cope, 75, who suddenly passed away on Friday, January 18, 2013, while on a Lion''s Club Charity Hunt in Pine Level, Alabama with his son and grandson.
Interment will be in Lafayette Memorial Park.
Reverend Doctor Steve Horn of First Baptist Church of Lafayette, will conduct the funeral services.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 54 years, Joy Lynn Edwards Cope of Lafayette; one daughter, Cindy Bridges and her husband Eric of Meridian, MS; one son, Mike Cope and his wife Denise of Lafayette; four grandchildren, Ethan Cope, Ashley Bridges, Amanda Bridges and Will Bridges; and two brothers, Randal Cope and his wife Carolyn of Baton Rouge and Ralph Cope of Lecompte. He was preceded in death by an infant son and his parents, William Monroe and Marguerite Elizabeth Duggan Cope.
A native of Leesville, LA and a resident of Lafayette for 45 years, Gene Cope was a real estate appraiser and owner of Cope Associates in Lafayette. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Lafayette and served as a Deacon since the late 1970''s. Mr. Cope also served as the Chairman of Finance for twelve years at Emmanuel Baptist Church. He was a member of the Realtor Association of Acadiana from 1968 to present; a member of the Lion''s Club from 1977 to present, where he served twice as past President; and served as Vice Chairman of the Louisiana Real Estate Appraiser Subcommittee. Mr. Cope will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew and loved him.
Pallbearers will be Kenny Curtis, Kenneth Lee, R. B. Trahan, Truitt Calhoun, Doug McCarthy and Mitch Barry.
Honorary Pallbearers will be the Deacons of First Baptist Church and Mr. Cope''s Day Break Sunday School Class.
The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille''s DOWNTOWN Lafayette location on Sunday, January 20, 2013 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and will continue on Monday at First Baptist Church of Lafayette (Downtown) from 10:00 AM until the time of service.
Memorial contributions can be made in Mr. Cope''s name to the First Baptist Church of Lafayette, 1100 Lee Ave., Lafayette, LA 70501 or to the Lion''s Club of Lafayette, 301 Vermilion St., Lafayette, LA 70501.
Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311
