1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Second Extraordinary Session, 2024 SR 3
4
5 By: Senators K. Hammer, A. Clark
6
7 SENATE RESOLUTION
8 TO RECOGNIZE PETE COPPOCK AND SHIRLEY PARSON COPPOCK
9 ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR SEVENTIETH WEDDING
10 ANNIVERSARY.
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13 Subtitle
14 TO RECOGNIZE PETE COPPOCK AND SHIRLEY
15 PARSON COPPOCK ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR
16 SEVENTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.
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21 WHEREAS, a lifetime marital commitment requires love, faith, trust in
22 one another, and a dedication to the constant pursuit of a strong and healthy
23 relationship; and
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25 WHEREAS, Merriett B. "Pete" Coppock and Shirley Parson Coppock made
26 that commitment seventy (70) years ago and since that time they have led
27 lives expressive of their desire to uphold their relationship, helping it
28 grow and mature; and
29
30 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock and Shirley Parson met in 1953 after Pete
31 returned home from the Korean War, when Pete was chauffering his brother,
32 Ruil, and Ruil's friends to a skating party, and Shirley was a part of that
33 group of friends; and
34
35 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock and Shirley Parson married a little more than one
36 (1) year later on Sunday, June 13, 1954, at 9:00 a.m. in Shirley's parents'
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1 living room by the New Friendship pastor J.W. Kestner, and thereafter
2 honeymooned in Eureka Springs, Arkansas; and
3
4 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock is the daughter of Zack Parson and Ida
5 Greenlee Parson; and
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7 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock joined the Saline Missionary Baptist
8 Church in 1954 and served as a teacher for Sunday School, Building Tomorrow's
9 Church, and Vacation Bible School for many years; and
10
11 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock also served as the secretary and
12 treasurer of the Saline Missionary Baptist Church and compiled the church's
13 history from the years 1887—1977, the update to which is a work in progress;
14 and
15
16 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock assisted Frank Jacobs with the Federal
17 Housing Administration in getting water to the Tull and Shaw areas in Saline
18 County, Arkansas; and
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20 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock was a charter member of the Saline
21 County History and Heritage Society in 1986 and served in various
22 chairmanships, the longest of which was Program Chairman; and
23
24 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock has been a member of the Daughters of
25 the American Revolution, Provincia de la Sal Chapter, since 1970, and served
26 as the Chapter Regent and in many other offices, such as the Caddo District
27 Director and the State Recording Secretary of the State Office; and
28
29 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock is a member of the Bauxite Ladies
30 Association and developed a scholarship fund for Bauxite High School
31 graduates; and
32
33 WHEREAS, Shirley Parson Coppock worked as a reporter for the Saline
34 County News, Saline County Pacesetter, and Benton Courier, as well as worked
35 as a secretary and receptionist for Dr. Carl Koen, Dr. David Evans, and
36 attorneys Bob Hardin and Curtis Rickard; and
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1
2 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock is the son of Ernest Coppock and Mary Williams
3 Coppock; and
4
5 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock joined the Saline Missionary Baptist Church in
6 1942 and was instrumental in helping to restore the church after it was
7 severely damaged by a tornado on April 30, 1940, and he also started teaching
8 Sunday School in 1948, as well as served as Song Director, Deacon, Treasurer,
9 and "Mr. Fix-It"; and
10
11 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock served in the Korean War from 1951—1953 as a
12 forward observer and survived stepping on a land mine, although his comrades
13 did not, and he later returned to frontline duty; and
14
15 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock was employed briefly at Norton Company before
16 joining A.P. Green Refractories Company, where he worked for thirty-two (32)
17 years, twenty-seven (27) of which were as a plant manager; and
18
19 WHEREAS, at A.P. Green Refractories Company, Pete Coppock worked in
20 mining and surveying, the mine ore from which was processed for fire brick
21 and brick to line Cape Kennedy's launch pads; and
22
23 WHEREAS, Pete Coppock and Shirley Parson Coppock have cultivated a
24 beautiful life together which was not without struggles but, through their
25 faith in God and their love of each other, they have conquered all,
26
27 NOW THEREFORE,
28 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
29 STATE OF ARKANSAS:
30
31 THAT the Senate takes great pride in recognizing Mr. Pete Coppock and
32 Mrs. Shirley Parson Coppock on the occasion of their seventieth wedding
33 anniversary.
34
35 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption of this resolution, a copy
36 shall be transmitted to Mr. Pete Coppock and Mrs. Shirley Parson Coppock by
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1 the Chief Clerk of the Senate.
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