Extracted from The Laurel Leader-Call (Laurel, MS)
Tuesday, March 22, 2007

Bertis L. Loper

Bertis L. Loper, 78, of Laurel, died Thursday, May 17, 2007, in Seward, Alaska, onboard the Volendam cruise ship.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, at Indian Springs Baptist Church in Jones County, with burial in Indian Springs Cemetery. The Rev. Mike West will officiate

She was a member of Indian Springs Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for a number of years. She was a member of the Jones County Retired Teachers Association, for which she served as secretary-treasurer and as president for six years. A graduate of Jones County Junior College, she earned a bachelor?s degree and a master's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. She worked at the courthouses in Laurel and Waynesboro and taught school at Calhoun Elementary for 16 years. A charter member of Jones County Triad, she served on the SALT council of the organization as secretary for several years. She volunteered at South Central Regional Medical Center, for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and also volunteered at Calhoun Elementary, West Jones Elementary and West Jones High School. She delivered meals for the Christian Food Mission and was an avid gardener.

She was preceded in death by husband, Arthur Loper, and parents, Lee and Roberta Langley.

She is survived by a son and his fiancé, Steve Loper and Cindy Flynt of Laurel; a daughter and son-in-law, Lea Ann and Eddie Hutto of Laurel; grandchildren, André and Aletha Thornton, Emily and Thomas McCowan, Sarah Hutto, Chase Loper, Bo Hutto, Catherine Hutto, Heather Hutto and Olivia Loper; two great-grandchildren, McElhone Hutto and Mia Walters; and a sister, Sally Curry of Gautier.

Pallbearers will be Roger Welch, Garland Miles, James Moreland, Allen Jones, Micah Hendry and Gary Little.

Visitation will be held from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday, at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, which is in charge of arrangements.