March 29, 2024

Roy L. Cupples

FULLERTON, Neb. — Roy L. Cupples, 73, of Fullerton, Neb., went home to be with His Lord on March 7, 2014, at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert, Ariz.

A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 14, at the Presbyterian Church, 305 Germand St., Fullerton, Neb. Pastor Peter Jenks, serving with Baptist Church Planters, will be speaking. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the church. Burial will be at the Fullerton Cemetery.

Memorials may be sent to Victory Baptist Church, Whispering Cedars Baptist Camp or to Fran Cupples, Box 395, Fullerton, NE 68638.

Roy was born Sept. 29, 1940, at Roe, Ariz., to Herman and Lula (Osborn) Cupples. His family moved to Newton while Roy was in grade school. When Roy was 15, he heard the good news of Jesus Christ, trusted Christ as his personal Savior and was adopted into God’s forever family. In 1959, Roy graduated from Newton High School, and on Oct. 8, 1960, he married Mary Tyrrel. Roy and Mary had three children and were married 33 years until Mary’s death in 1993. Roy served as youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Monroe and Immanuel Baptist Church in Newton.

Roy worked for Pfister Hybrids P.A.G. Farm Seed Company and later, while working for Davis Equipment, he attended Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, where he graduated with a bachelor of science degree.

Roy and his family moved to Grand Island, Neb., where he started and managed a branch office for Davis Equipment. He and Mary also started Grace Baptist Church in their home. The family moved to Whispering Cedars Baptist Camp, Genoa, Neb., in 1986, where Roy became the first camp director. In 1987, Roy began his ministry with the Baptist Fellowship in Fullerton, was ordained on March 8, 1990, and on Oct. 7, 2000, the fellowship became the duly organized Victory Baptist Church.

On Dec. 17, 1994, Roy married Fran (Goodspeed) in Omaha, Neb. They served together at Whispering Cedars until the summer of 2003, when they moved to Fullerton to serve full-time at Victory Baptist Church. On Oct. 7, 2012, Roy and Fran started Grace Baptist Church in Genoa, Neb. They were enjoying their 20th year of marriage and loved serving the Lord together.

Survivors include his wife, Fran; his sons, Wes and Warren; his daughter, Andi Goosen; two step-sons, Bryan Goodspeed and Stephen (Mandy) Goodspeed; and one step-daughter, Laura (Matt) Poe; one sister, Louise (Ora) Seals; two brothers, Tom and Herman Jr. (Connie); one step-sister, Carol (Paul) Johnson; one step-brother, Kevin Schmitt; 11 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

Roy was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; his parents; his step-parents; two step-sisters; and two step-brothers.