August 25, 1937 – May 15, 2025

Mary Vernell was born in Canton to Samuel Vernon Gay and Mary Lee (Pierce) Gay. She is preceded in death by her parents, her oldest son, Charles Fleete Cope, and her husband, Robert Charles Cope.

She is survived by her son, Robert Allen Cope and wife, Carla; their children, Tonya and Erin, Joanna Lynn Cope and husband, Billy Laxton, and their children, Samuel and John; her brother, Mickey Paul Gay and wife, Connie, and their children, Shaun Gay and wife, Krystal, and son, Conner; her sister, Stella Mae (Gay) Jackson and husband, Rev. Don G Jackson, their children, son, Mark Jackson and wife, Patricia; son Shannon Jackson, and wife, Lisa, and daughter, Shari Jackson, along with numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Mary Vernell and her parents moved to Dallas when she was two. They attended South Beckley Baptist Church in Dallas where she had some wonderful Sunday School teachers that presented the Plan of Salvation every week in Sunday School.

Mary Vernell and her sister would sit on their front porch steps and sing hymns when they were young and one of her favorite songs was ‘I Walked Through the Garden Alone.’

She accepted Christ as her savior when she was 11 years old at South Beckley Baptist Church. She was baptized by their Pastor, Rev. Harvey Nelson.

She and her sister were very close to their cousins and would take turns spending a week a summer in Canton or the cousin with them in Dallas.

Some would come and spend the summer and that was a fun time and a wonderful memory for her.

She went to schools in Dallas where she graduated from South Oak Cliff High School and was in the first Golden Debs drill team as the first May graduating Class of 1955.

They were honored to be able to select the school mascot, school colors, and uniform for the drill team.

After graduation, she attended the University of Texas at Arlington for a while before getting married in February 1956 to husband, Robert Charles Cope.

They lived in Dallas, Arlington, Mesquite, Alba, and Oklahoma City before moving back to Canton to spend the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, after her husband, Bob, passed away, her house was hit by a tornado which she survived in a hallway.

Her grandson, Cody Charles Cope, found her sitting in a chair with rain pouring down on her from the open roof.

He took her to his home where she resided the rest of her life before being hospitalized.

Lary Vernell loved her children and family members and will be dearly missed by her loved ones, but we know that she is in the presence of Jesus because II Corinthians 5:8 says, ‘to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’

The Memorial Service was held at Tundra Baptist Church on Saturday May 31, 2025, with a brief graveside service at Cool Springs Cemetery.