Thomas J. Cope
Tomb Position
SentinelTomb Relief
1stHighest Military Rank
CorporalTomb Dates
Mar 1953 - Jan 1954Home City / State
Middletown, OHCurrent City / State
Fort Myers, FLObituary
Thomas Jerry Cope, age 89, of Middletown, passed away surrounded by his family on May 7, 2021. Jerry was a loving and devoted husband, father and papaw. He was born to the late George and Ida Mae Frisch Cope on August 4, 1931, in
Middletown, Ohio. He was a proud veteran of the United States Army and served during the Korean War as member of the Honor Guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and later was honorably discharged. Jerry was a plumber and pipe fitter and retired in 1994. He was a member of the Plumbers and Pipefitter Union Local 392, for over 50 years, and the Zion
Lutheran Church of Middletown. If you knew Jerry, you knew his world revolved around his family and grandchildren. He enjoyed coaching their baseball teams and spending any chance he got with them. Jerry was an avid bowler in his younger years and was a volunteer firefighter for Mayfield. He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Ora Kate Harrison Cope; daughters Deborah (Herley) Hatfield, Diana (Mike) Hughes, Katrena (Mike) Engel; sons TJ (Dora) Cope, Doug
(Lisa) Cope, George (Teri) Cope, Robert (Jodie) Cope, Daniel (Tina) Cope; 28 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren, 7 great-great-grandchildren, brother Charlie Cope, and sister-in-law Mary Cope. He was preceded in death by his father George Cope, mother Ida Mae Frisch Cope, sisters Elizabeth Cope, Wilma Gibson, Marilee O'Conner; brothers Dick Cope, James Cope, John Cope, Benson Cope and David Cope; grandchildren Corby Cope and Tia Boley. A visitation will be held at Baker-Stevens-Parramore Funeral Home, 6850 Roosevelt Ave., Middletown, Ohio 45005, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, from 4:00pm-8:00 pm with a funeral service to follow on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at the funeral home at 10:00am, Officiating Pastor Jen Rue.
Memories & Condolences
Share a Memory
Units & Campaigns
3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)Support the Society
The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS) is able to provide our programs, events, assistance, scholarships, and services due to the generosity of its members, organizations, and individuals. SHGTUS does not receive institutional funding. Note: The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a 501(c)(3) organization, so your contributions may be fully tax deductible.
Learn More
Did you know?
How many Sentinels have been female?
There have been over 680 tomb guards awarded the badge since 1958 when we started counting. There are hundreds more from the year 1926 when the Army started guarding the Tomb. The 3rd US Infantry (The Old Guard) is the unit that has been given the duty of guarding the Tomb. It was given this sacred duty in 1948. The Old Guard was -- and still is -- considered a combat unit. As an Infantry unit, females were not permitted in the ranks for many years. It wasn't until 1994 that females were permitted to volunteer to become a Sentinel when the 289th Military Police Company was attached to the Old Guard. The MP branch is a combat support unit and includes females.
In 1996, SGT Heather Johnsen became the first female to earn the Tomb Guard Identification Badge. She volunteered for duty in June 1995 and earned her badge in 1996. However, SGT Johnson was not the only female Sentinel. Since then, there have been a total of five female Sentinels awarded the Tomb Guard Identification Badge:
SGT Danyell Wilson earned
her badge in 1997
SSG Tonya Bell received hers in 1998
SGT Ruth
Hanks earned her badge in June 2015
SFC Chelsea Porterfield earned her badge in 2021
Several other units have since been attached to the Old Guard -- food
service, transportation, medics, etc. -- so now females have an ever
greater opportunity to become a Sentinel. Females must meet the same
requirements as the male soldiers to be eligible to volunteer at the
Tomb. the only difference is that females have a minimum height of 5'8"
-- which is the same standard to be a member of the Old Guard.
