Thomas J. Cope
Tomb Position
SentinelTomb Relief
1stHighest Military Rank
CorporalTomb Dates
Mar 1953 - Jan 1954Society Membership
--Select One--Home 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.
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Did you know?
Are the shoes specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet?
The shoes are standard issue military dress shoes. They are built up so the sole and heel are equal in height. This allows the Sentinel to stand with a straight back and perpendicular to the ground. A side effect of this is that the Sentinel can "roll" on the outside of the build up walking down the mat. Done correctly, the hat and bayonet will appear to not "bob" up and down with each step. It gives a more formal, fluid and smooth look to the walk, rather than a "marching" appearance.
The soles have a steel tip on the toe and a "horseshoe" steel plate on the heel. This prevents wear on the sole and allows the Sentinel to move smoothly during his movements when he turns to face the Tomb and then back down the mat.
Then there is the "clicker". It is a shank of steel attached to the inside of the face of the heel build-up on each shoe. It allows the Sentinel to heel click during certain movements. A guard change is considered great when all the heel clicks fall together and sound as one click. The guard change is occasionally done in the "silent" mode (as a sign of devotion to the Unknowns) with no voice commands - every thing is done in relation to the heel clicks and on specific counts.
