KOOP, Paul Johnathan - b. May 28, 1927 - d. December 27, 2022

[patyrn]

Paul Johnathan Koop was born May 28, 1927, the second of four children, to John J. and Maria (Heinrichs) Koop near Fairview, Oklahoma.  The Lord took him to his heavenly home on the morning of December 27, 2022 at the Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, Kansas.

Paul grew up on the farm which his grandparents Koop homesteaded northwest of Fairview, Oklahoma.  His mother had served at the Post Oak Mission to the Comanche Indians in southern Oklahoma before her marriage.  His parents were members of the North Fairview M.B. Church.  When Paul was 9 years old, his mother was taken to her heavenly home.  His father never remarried, so the children grew up without a mother in the home.

The family was closely knit and sang and played together as a singing quartet in churches in the area.  John played the mandolin; Paul the Hawaiian guitar; Ira the bass viol; and Marie the Spanish guitar.  Paul accepted the Lord as his personal savior at age 12 and was baptized in the Eagle Chief Creek near Cleo Springs, Oklahoma.  He was involved with his siblings in 4-H and attended a rural one-room school where he was the janitor, arriving early to warm up the builing and doing other chores.

On May 26, 1951, Paul married Sarah Nusz at Fairview, Oklahoma with a reception following at Conway Springs, Kansas.  He adored her.  They started their family and made their home near Fairview, Oklahoma and then O'Keene, Oklahoma where they farmed and the first five children were born.  In 1958, they moved to Howard, Kansas and farmed there until their retirement.  After moving to Kansas, there were four more children born into the family.  He, along with his wife and children, worked together on the family farm northeast of Howard, raising wheat, soybeans, cattle, etc.

Faith was central to Paul, and he always wanted to be a witness for Christ.  He was a member of the Howard Independent Baptist Church and the Gideons.  He enjoyed serving the Lord with his musical talents and was a song leader at church for years and played his bass guitar, violin, Spanish guitar, and Hawaiin guitar.  He was a loving father and husband and was known for his honesty and fairness to everyone. 

Paul is survived by his wife, Sarah; his daughters, Judy (Charles) Fox of Fredonia, Kasnas, Helen (Don) Peterson of Eureka, Kasnas, Linda (David) Allen of Miller, South Dakota; and Lisa (Richard) Aikins of Stark City, Missouri; his sons, Elden (Doreen) Koop of Howard, Kansas, Rodney Koop of Severy, Kansas, and Kendall Koop of Howard, Kansas; fifteen grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Johnny and Ira; a sister, Marie Lois; his son, David Earl Koop; and an infant son, Kenneth Rodney Koop.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 30, 2022 at the Flint Hills Assembly of God Church in Howard, Kansas.  The family will greet friends at visitation for one hour prior to the service.  Interment will follow in South Lawn Cemetery in Severy, Kansas.  Memorial contributions can be made to the Howard Independent Baptist Church and can be left with or mailed to the funeral home.  Services have been entrusted to Countryside Funeral Home, 206 E. Washington, Howard, Kansas 67349.

(taken from the Countryside Funeral Home website)