OBIT: Jack Blair CUPPER, 2005, native of Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon Miller Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ JACK BLAIR CUPPER Jack Blair Cupper, 84, of Fredericksburg, Texas and Tyrone, Pennsylvania, died Monday November 22, 2004 in Fredericksburg. He is survived by his wife Carol Royston Cupper now residing in Fredericksburg, and five children, Carol Quin (Tony) of British Columbia, Canada, Pamela Emich (Barry) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Greg Cupper (Page) of Seattle, Washington, David Cupper (Yamaya) of British Columbia, Canada and Karen Jenkins of Austin, Texas, as well as seven grandchildren (Annie and Peter Martin, Sean and Nicole Houseal, Shannon Cupper, and Michael and Jake Acosta), his new great-grandson namesake (Jack Houseal) and many other loving friends and family members, including Marilyn Waggoner and Lillian Royston. Born in Tyrone, Jack began his work life on steam locomotives, later serving as a radio repairman and broadcast engineer, and as a civilian electronics employee at U.S. Air Force bases in Harrisburg and San Antonio until he retired. Jack had a lifelong love of writing poetry, gardening, bird watching, ham radio chatting and, most of all, portraying the beauty of nature in his many paintings. A life-long active conservationist, Jack was fervently committed to the preservation of nature--this was reflected in his writing and in his oil and acrylic paintings which hang in many states and countries. His column "Painting Along with Jack" ran in the Fredericksburg newspaper from the late 1970s to the early 90s. Jack and his wife Carol were members of the Unitarian Church in Kerrville Texas, the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, and other conservation organizations. Jack was a champion of the Tioga and Potter Counties' Audubon Society, having served actively as a director and energetic participant in many chapter activities. He painted "Eagle in the Canyon" then sold it, donating the proceeds to Audubon. For years he administered the Forrest Watkins Memorial Fund which supported and encouraged environmental education in young people locally. He was a founder, in 1987, of the Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group, one of the earliest and most recognized watershed organizations in the state, involved in protecting the integrity of waters and the environment in the region. A Celebration of Jack's life was held at his home on Saturday, November 27. Donations in his memory may be made to the Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group or Tiadaghton Audubon Society. The family and Carol's address is 902 East Austin Street, Fredericksburg, Texas 78624. Jack will be missed by all who knew and loved him. Tyrone Daily Herald, January 24, 2005