Mary Alice Cope was born December 13, 1927 in Peru, NE, the daughter of Guy W. and Alvie (Hart) Cope.  Mary grew up on a farm south of Peru attending Honey Creek country school until finishing the eighth grade after which she attended Peru High School graduating in 1945.  She began her college education at Peru State in NE, and years later acquired her degree at Westmar College in LeMars, IA.  She began teaching in southeastern NE later moved to northern NE for 4 years before teaching in eastern NE and western IA.  Following her teaching in Nebraska she moved to Kingsley where she taught in the Kingsley-Pierson School system for 36 years retiring in the spring of 1995. 

  On June 17, 1956 she and Merlin Koetke were married in the Coryell Chapel, rural Brock, NE. that same year Mary was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.  Following their marriage Mary and Merlin made their home on a farm south of Kingsley until 1975 when they moved to the town of Kingsley.   Mary was a member of First Lutheran Church in Kingsley.   

   Mary’s husband, Merlin, passed away in October of 1995, following Merlin’s death Mary continued to live in their house and remained very independent until the end.   

Mary is survived by nieces and nephews.

    Preceding Mary in death were her parents, Gary and Alvie Cope, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Otto and Bertha Koetke, brothers and sisters-in-law, Carl (Helen) and Roy (Judy), and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Eldon and Rowena Roepke.