William L. Schoop

Bill’s childhood was spent on the family farm that had been passed from generation to generation since the 1800s. The farm produced corn, oats, soybeans, hay, meat birds and eggs, and it was the poultry side of the business that Bill became most involved with in his youth.

Bill graduated from high school in 1947 and worked for a few years doing various kinds of labor, both on his family’s farm and for the local grain hauler, driving truck. After a few years, Bill and his friend Dick decided to join the Air Force. Bill was first stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio in the department of aircraft control, and eventually taught officers about air traffic control at Tyndal Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla.

Shortly after being stationed in Florida, Bill returned to Illinois for the wedding of his best friend Dick. At that wedding, Bill became reacquainted with Dick’s sister, Margaret, who turned out to be the love of his life. The two married in 1954 and remained together until Margaret’s passing in 2001. They had two children, Laurel and David.

The family moved around extensively, as is the custom in military families. Stops included Alaska, Texas, Florida, Newfoundland and New York, which is where the family settled for a time before eventually moving to San Diego to operate a radar site tasked with searching out Russian missiles.

Bill and his family remained in San Diego, with Laurel and David staying close by.

In 1999, David and his family and sister Laurel moved to Elmore. Bill and Margaret followed the next year.

In 1988, Margaret had been diagnosed with cancer and fought it hard for 13 years until succumbing to the disease. Her last wish was for Bill to be with his family after she was gone.

For the next 15 years, Bill typically could be seen in one of two places, Copley Country Club and outside his house, tending his gardens and feeding his beloved birds and squirrels and, during his favorite time of the year, ducks. Some days Bill would have over 100 ducks swimming around in the little pond in front of his house and Bill was always ready with a coffee can full of cracked corn for his friends.

Bill helped the run the One O’Clock League at Copley Country Club for years and made a close-knit group of friends there. After some years, those friends became a sort of family.

In 2004, Bill had the good luck to be paired with a lovely woman named Julie Bourne in one of Copley’s summer golf tournaments and the two became great friends and companions and remained so until Bill’s death. Julie became a part of the family, just as Bill became a part of hers. The Schoop family is forever grateful to Julie for her kindness, compassion and presence. A special thanks also to Holly Barbour, who was Bill’s caretaker until his passing and brought immense warmth and joy into his home for that time.

Bill is survived by his daughter Laurel, his son David, his grandkids Nichole and Matt, his great-grandchildren Thomas, Katie, Brandon and Layne, and step great-grandchildren Mason, Miller and Arden.