It was on Oct. 18, 2019, under a beautiful blue Texas sky, that God called Wynell Roper, age 95, of Brady, to her heavenly home. She was born April 5, 1924, in Brady, the ninth of 10 children born to Carl Victor “Vick” Jacobson and Judith Aflreda Pauline (Eklund) Jacobson. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage. She married Aaron David Roper on March 13, 1943. A lifelong resident of Brady, she was well known throughout the community and still remembered for her career as a Licensed Vocational nurse with her nursing career spanning 29 years. During these years, she affectionately earned the title of “Brady’s Mom” due to her assisting in the delivery of so many babies at the old Brady Hospital. After retiring from nursing in 1988, she worked as the school nurse at Brady’s South Ward Elementary School.
A member of the First United Methodist Church in Brady for over 80 years, one of her greatest joys was singing with the church choir, and at the time of her death, she was the oldest active choir member. She enjoyed the United Methodist Women, and was a member of the Mary Martha Circle. Wynell was a member of the Retired Nurses Association and enjoyed spending time at the Sunset Center. She was a huge football fan of the Brady Bulldogs, the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers.
Survivors include her sons, Richard Roper and companion Jackie Smith of Brady; Darrell Roper (Marie) of San Angelo, and daughter, Rebecca Roper Turner (Bob) of Marietta, GA. Additional survivors include former daughters-in-law Anne Roper of San Angelo and Pamela Sykes of Brady. Grandchildren surviving her are Richard N. Roper (Debbie) and Jeremy Roper, all of San Angelo; David Roper (Marla) of Bulverde; Amber (Roper) Valles (Chris) of Joshua; Rachel Strait (Rusty) of Gainesville; Avery Ramey Bernard (David) of Brady. Surviving great-grandchildren are Kimberly and Jason Roper, Evan Ross Roper, and Arron Wayne Roper, all of San Angelo; Richard Donavan Roper (Kayleigh) of Midland; Marissa, Macie, and Maddison Valles of Joshua; MaKayla Valles of Lampasas; Lauren and Elizabeth Roper of Bulverde; Anslie Bernard of Dallas; Ashlan (Bernard) Sheffield (Preston) of Washington; and Kelton Bernard of Brady. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive her. Wynell was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Aaron David Roper, two brothers and seven sisters.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, December 7, at the First United Methodist Church in Brady with Reverend Bun Jackson and Reverend Sheldon Johnson officiating. Her cremated remains will be interred at Rest Haven Cemetery in Brady.
The family will receive friends on Friday, December 6, from 6-8 p.m. at Leatherwood Memorial Chapels in Brady. Friends may view her memorial video tribute and/or sign the online memorial guest book at www.leatherwoodmemorialchapels.com.
The family requests no flowers, but suggests memorial contributions in memory of Wynell Jacobson Roper may be made to the First United Methodist Church Choir, 401 S. Blackburn, Brady, TX 76825 or to Hospice of San Angelo, 36 E. Twohig Ave, #1100, San Angelo, TX 76903.
