Michael Albert Kopsie was born at home on Oct. 3, 1929 to Michael James and Viola Veronica (Clark) Kopsie. He met his wife Barbara Jean Hutchinson while he was visiting his step mother in the hospital. Mom tells the following story. . . "He was visiting his step mother in the hospital and I was on duty as a student nurse. He left his step mother's room to go down the hall for a cigarette (you could smoke in the hospital back then). He kept watching me as I was sitting at the desk charting. When he was done with his cigarette he was looking at me and not watching where he was going and ran smack into the door!" She said she asked him if he was alright and that is when they met. She said he asked her for a date and she said "no". Well, she must have said yes at some point because they were married about four months later! They married on April 10, 1954. They were married 47 years and had 9 children together.
THE TELEGRAPH, Friday, December 7, 2001:
ALTON -- Michael A. Kopsie, 72, died at 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Alton Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born Oct. 3, 1929, in Alton, he was the son of the late Michael J. Kopsie and Viola (Clark) Kopsie.
He married the former Barbara Hutchinson on April 10, 1954, in Alton. She survives.
An electrician for Laclede Steel in Alton, he retired after 43 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army for two years, serving in the Korean War. His favorite hobbies were golfing and genealogy.
In addition to his widow, surviving are nine children, Brenda, Cindy, Jeff, Sue, Brad, Mike, Janet, Greg, and Patty; 24 grandchildren, Rebecca, Bryan, Ben, Sasaun, Sherien, Ramien, Eric, Brett, Rick, Lindsey, Marc, Kyle, Stefanie, Molly, Mindy, Michael, Mitchell, Barbara, Edward, Travis, Chelsea, Ethan, Pamela, and Rachel; a great-grandson, Jerald; siblings, Elaine Lachner, Karl and Richard Kopsie, and Mary Millican; his favorite aunt, Marie Horn; his mother-in-law, Minnie Hutchinson; his brothers-in-law, James and John Hutchinson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Earl, Kenneth, Ronald and James Kopsie and a grandson, Ryan Kopsie.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Burial, with full military services performed by VFW Post 1308 Ritual Team, will follow at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto.
Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude's Hospital or a charity of one's choice.
THE TELEGRAPH, Friday, December 7, 2001:
ALTON -- Michael A. Kopsie, 72, died at 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Alton Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born Oct. 3, 1929, in Alton, he was the son of the late Michael J. Kopsie and Viola (Clark) Kopsie.
He married the former Barbara Hutchinson on April 10, 1954, in Alton. She survives.
An electrician for Laclede Steel in Alton, he retired after 43 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army for two years, serving in the Korean War. His favorite hobbies were golfing and genealogy.
In addition to his widow, surviving are nine children, Brenda, Cindy, Jeff, Sue, Brad, Mike, Janet, Greg, and Patty; 24 grandchildren, Rebecca, Bryan, Ben, Sasaun, Sherien, Ramien, Eric, Brett, Rick, Lindsey, Marc, Kyle, Stefanie, Molly, Mindy, Michael, Mitchell, Barbara, Edward, Travis, Chelsea, Ethan, Pamela, and Rachel; a great-grandson, Jerald; siblings, Elaine Lachner, Karl and Richard Kopsie, and Mary Millican; his favorite aunt, Marie Horn; his mother-in-law, Minnie Hutchinson; his brothers-in-law, James and John Hutchinson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Earl, Kenneth, Ronald and James Kopsie and a grandson, Ryan Kopsie.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Burial, with full military services performed by VFW Post 1308 Ritual Team, will follow at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto.
Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude's Hospital or a charity of one's choice.
Michael Albert Kopsie was born at home on Oct. 3, 1929 to Michael James and Viola Veronica (Clark) Kopsie. He met his wife Barbara Jean Hutchinson while he was visiting his step mother in the hospital. Mom tells the following story. . . "He was visiting his step mother in the hospital and I was on duty as a student nurse. He left his step mother's room to go down the hall for a cigarette (you could smoke in the hospital back then). He kept watching me as I was sitting at the desk charting. When he was done with his cigarette he was looking at me and not watching where he was going and ran smack into the door!" She said she asked him if he was alright and that is when they met. She said he asked her for a date and she said "no". Well, she must have said yes at some point because they were married about four months later! They married on April 10, 1954. They were married 47 years and had 9 children together.
THE TELEGRAPH, Friday, December 7, 2001:
ALTON -- Michael A. Kopsie, 72, died at 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Alton Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born Oct. 3, 1929, in Alton, he was the son of the late Michael J. Kopsie and Viola (Clark) Kopsie.
He married the former Barbara Hutchinson on April 10, 1954, in Alton. She survives.
An electrician for Laclede Steel in Alton, he retired after 43 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army for two years, serving in the Korean War. His favorite hobbies were golfing and genealogy.
In addition to his widow, surviving are nine children, Brenda, Cindy, Jeff, Sue, Brad, Mike, Janet, Greg, and Patty; 24 grandchildren, Rebecca, Bryan, Ben, Sasaun, Sherien, Ramien, Eric, Brett, Rick, Lindsey, Marc, Kyle, Stefanie, Molly, Mindy, Michael, Mitchell, Barbara, Edward, Travis, Chelsea, Ethan, Pamela, and Rachel; a great-grandson, Jerald; siblings, Elaine Lachner, Karl and Richard Kopsie, and Mary Millican; his favorite aunt, Marie Horn; his mother-in-law, Minnie Hutchinson; his brothers-in-law, James and John Hutchinson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Earl, Kenneth, Ronald and James Kopsie and a grandson, Ryan Kopsie.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Burial, with full military services performed by VFW Post 1308 Ritual Team, will follow at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto.
Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude's Hospital or a charity of one's choice.
THE TELEGRAPH, Friday, December 7, 2001:
ALTON -- Michael A. Kopsie, 72, died at 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Alton Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born Oct. 3, 1929, in Alton, he was the son of the late Michael J. Kopsie and Viola (Clark) Kopsie.
He married the former Barbara Hutchinson on April 10, 1954, in Alton. She survives.
An electrician for Laclede Steel in Alton, he retired after 43 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army for two years, serving in the Korean War. His favorite hobbies were golfing and genealogy.
In addition to his widow, surviving are nine children, Brenda, Cindy, Jeff, Sue, Brad, Mike, Janet, Greg, and Patty; 24 grandchildren, Rebecca, Bryan, Ben, Sasaun, Sherien, Ramien, Eric, Brett, Rick, Lindsey, Marc, Kyle, Stefanie, Molly, Mindy, Michael, Mitchell, Barbara, Edward, Travis, Chelsea, Ethan, Pamela, and Rachel; a great-grandson, Jerald; siblings, Elaine Lachner, Karl and Richard Kopsie, and Mary Millican; his favorite aunt, Marie Horn; his mother-in-law, Minnie Hutchinson; his brothers-in-law, James and John Hutchinson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Earl, Kenneth, Ronald and James Kopsie and a grandson, Ryan Kopsie.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Burial, with full military services performed by VFW Post 1308 Ritual Team, will follow at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto.
Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude's Hospital or a charity of one's choice.
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Michael A. 1929-2001 Barbara J. 1933-2010
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