The Rev. Leroy D. Soper, of Southern Pines, N.C., was born Oct. 30, 1921, in Brownsville Texas to Leroy D. Soper and Valentine E. Johnson Soper. He died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, in Southern Pines. He graduated from Orlando High School, Orlando, Fla., in 1939 and from The Citadel, Charleston, S.C., in 1943. He served in the infantry in the United States Army in Europe during World War II. He returned to school to graduate from The School of Theology, The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., in 1959. Ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1959, Mr. Soper served parishes in Orlando and Sanford in Florida. During his years at Holy Cross Church in Sanford, Bram Towers, a ministry to elderly people with limited incomes, was built and the Sanford Area Christian Sharing Center was established to minister to hungry, homeless, and needy people. He also served in Madison, Ga., Ocean View, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Coming to Colorado Springs in 1996, he served briefly in Monument, and then at The Church of the Ascension, in Pueblo, and St. Michael the Archangel, in Colorado Springs. For several years, he served Grace Church in Colorado Springs as chaplain to the hospitals before he retired at the end of 2004. He also served as chaplain on cruise ships for Cunard and Norwegian Cruise Lines. His last assignment was as chaplain for The Voyage of Discovery cruise around the world on The Queen Elizabeth II. Mr. Soper is survived by his wife Imogene; children, David E. Soper (Susan), Joy E. Nielson (Tim); stepdaughters, Rebecca Smith (Andrew) and Mary M. Singer; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and his brother, Robert E. Soper. A memorial service will be held Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at Penick Village Chapel, with a reception to follow. Memorial gifts mat be made to The Penick Village Foundation or FirstHealth Hospice. The family is being assisted by Reeves Funeral Home of Hope Mills.
Posted in: obituarydata.com
Posted on: 2019-12-09
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