Billie Jean Cope was born July 5th, 1932, and died on February16th, 2023. She grew up
in Altoona and Gadsden, Alabama and graduated from Blount County High School. Billie
became a Christian at age 12 and her life was filled with joy. She loved her Bible, her family,
Mt. Brook Baptist Church, Torch Bearers' Sunday School class, and rejoiced in her walk with
God.
Billie was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 53 years, Raymond Cope, brother
Horace Rex Kinney, sister Patricia Stanton, father Hercial Eugene Kinney and mother Lorene
Atkins Kinney.
Billie's high school summers were filled with working for the Home Mission Board and
in the Everglades at the Seminole Indian Reservation at Dania Florida.
Billie was a graduate of Howard College, now Samford University, The University of
Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, with advanced studies at the University of
Kentucky where she was employed. She directed choirs in several churches to pay for her
education.
Her first job was Director of the University of Kentucky laboratory Nursery School
which included many football players. She was awed by the big guys working with the little
people. When Billie completed her contract with the University of Kentucky, she returned to
Altoona the next year to marry her great love, Raymond Cope. She had met him the last week of
graduate school.
Billie was retired from the Birmingham Board of Education, Highlands School Family
Life Center and Our Lady of Sorrows Child Development Center. Billie co-founded the first
Kindergarten association of Birmingham and helped begin the first Kindergarten workshops at
Samford University, teaching there for 19 summers.
Billie was appointed by the Governor's Interdepartmental Committee as the Educational
Director of the Appalachian Child Development Committee of Alabama, writing much of the
training materials for the staff from Mississippi and Alabama. Training included Dr. Edith Tate
Jones of Miles College.
The Child Development movement, later known as Head Start covered over half the state
and greatly added to Alabama's pre-school education program. Billie was the first pre-school
instructor of Jefferson State Community College, assisting the Laboratory School to receive
funding through the ACD grant which she coordinated for Alabama.

She was also the first Kindergarten teacher at Highlands School, served on the
Governor's Committee of Children and Youth and she was the past President of AAYC and
program presenter for many professional meetings.
While her children were young, she directed her children's church choirs. She was an
advocate for all young children's causes, and she educated children and staffers until she was 81
years old.
She was one of the first two women elected to the Baptist Medical Center Board where
she served many years.
Billie and Ray enjoyed traveling with friends. They were regulars at Saturday garage
sales, and they went to Oneonta and Fairfield reunions high school with Ray's cameras. She was
a member of Reveler's Dance Club and others.
Billie was a longtime member of the ALEA Literacy Club and would take time off from
teaching to go to meetings. She loved the group so much.
She was a member of Mountain Brook Baptist Church for over 55 years and taught many
of those years. She traveled with several wonderful mission trips and to The Holy Lands which
was indescribable. She loved all the Torch Bearer members and her church.
Billie Jean Kinney Cope, I am survived by sons Michael Alan Cope and Gary Dane
Cope, grandchildren Raymond Taylor Cope and Angela Marie Cope, nieces Debra Weldon and
her sister Valerie Stanton Tillman and her husband Frank Tillman and their son Danny Tillman,
cousins of Altoona, Ronnie Blanton/Regina and Darrel Blanton, my husbands beloved sister
Marilyn and her family, special friends Barbara and Jerry Edwards, ALEA Literacy Club, Torch
Bearers' Sunday School Class, and many education friends.
Too many wonderful friends to list by name, so many special conversations that I have
cherished through the years. My life was full and blessed by moments we were able to spend
together and share. Know this, The Lord was my way and he blessed me with such friends,
opportunity and a life lived. Be in Peace for me because of you all.
Graveside burial at Valhalla Cemetery, Midfield 5317 Bessemer Superhighway with Dr.
Wayne Splawn, pastor of Mountain Brook Baptist Church officiating it.