Sharon Ann Copsey McCool

Sharon Ann Copsey McCool was born on October 10, 1938, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Elbert and Mae Copsey. She was the seventh of eight children. When Sharon was five years old, the family moved from Hansen to Gooding, Idaho, where she attended all twelve years of school. She later graduated from Twin Falls Business School and attended Van Nuys Valley College in California, where she studied music.
Sharon married at the age of eighteen and had three children. After that marriage ended, she married Wells McCool, who lovingly adopted her three children. Later, a son was added to their family.
Music was Sharon's great love. She sang in school and church choirs and in small vocal groups. At a young age, she began playing piano for worship services and accompanying church choirs. Over the years, she led church choirs, sang in a barbershop choir, and taught piano lessons for twenty years.
In addition to raising four children and caring for her beloved mother-in-law during a seven-year battle with cancer, Sharon held many jobs. She worked as a secretary, assistant sales manager, bookkeeper, telephone operator, credit union auditor, church housekeeper, and performed yard work for the family's outdoor business.
Sharon felt called by God from a young age to follow Him. She loved God deeply, sought to live according to His will, and faithfully served in many roles within the Disciples of Christ Church wherever she lived.
Because of Wells' long-distance trucking career, Sharon and Wells lived in seven different western states. Though she disliked leaving one home for another, she always chose to make each new place a home and to be happy. After Wells retired from 30 years of truck driving, they moved to Oregon to be near their three sons. There, they started an outdoor business mowing lawns and landscaping, which they operated together for more than 30 years.
Sharon was also a gifted writer. She authored four volumes of memoirs, a book of Bible stories for children, and many prayers used in worship. Another joy in her life was cooking and baking for her family, church, and neighbors. Her fried chicken, hot bread, and chocolate cake were family favorites. She loved sewing stuffed animals and quilting for her grandchildren and often pieced together quilts simply for the joy of it. Sharon was a happy, generous person who loved sharing whatever she had with others.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Debra Marie; her parents; two brothers; and two sisters. She is survived by her husband, Wells; her three sons, Mark, Todd, and Bart; her three sisters, Betty Miller of Gooding, Idaho; Naomi Raby of Sacramento, California; and Carol and Bob Fort of Twin Falls, Idaho; along with fifteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.