Martha G (Wamsley) Kopp

Martha G. (Wamsley) Kopp, age 86, of LaGrange, Kentucky, died July 28, surrounded by her loving family. She was born December 31, 1936, in Portsmouth, Ohio, to the late Gene and Martha Wamsley, who saved her from the January 1937 flood when she was only a few weeks old.

After graduating from Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth, Martha majored in education at Ohio University and became the first in her family to earn a college degree. She taught elementary school for 32 years, almost all of them in Waverly, Ohio. She most loved her many years in first grade, where she patiently and caringly taught hundreds of students to read. She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence.

Martha married William L. Kopp in 1957, and they had three sons, Will, Mike, and Mark. After her husband died in 1974, Martha raised her sons alone, seeing that they all graduated from college and began successful careers.

After retiring from teaching, Martha began a new career as a crafter extraordinaire, weaving baskets, sewing, making doll houses, cooking, and poring over her vast collection of cookbooks. She also volunteered at Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe, Ohio. Martha’s kitchen table was a regular gathering place for many loyal friends over the years, and she enjoyed daily walks around Waverly with Ruth Dunham and evenings dining and dancing with dear friend Russell Mouser. After moving to LaGrange, Kentucky, in 2007, she enjoyed book club discussions and card games with a new set of friends. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Church in LaGrange.

She is survived by her sons, Will (Sue), Mike (Michelle), and Mark (Carrie); grandchildren Gene, Natalie, Tyler, Jacob, Dillon, and Ava; brother James (Patricia) Wamsley; niece Jennifer Grant; and nephew Patrick Wamsley.

The family will receive friends, Thursday, August 3, 4-7 p.m., with praying of the rosary at 7 p.m., at Heady-Radcliffe Funeral Home, LaGrange, KY, with a mass at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in LaGrange at 10 a.m., August 4. A private burial ceremony at Confidence Cemetery in Georgetown, Ohio, will follow.

In memory of Martha, please consider making donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children.