Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries



Russell Whatley Loper, Sr.

Russell Whatley Loper, Sr., 61, formerly of Fairfield, passed away unexpectedly 
on Sunday, January 6, 2013. Services were held 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 11, 2013 
at Capps Memorial Chapel. Interment followed at Woodland Cemetery near Kirvin.

Russ was born March 24, 1951 in Fairfield, Texas to Kathryn and Clark Loper. 
After graduation from Fairfield High School, he attended and graduated from 
Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, double majoring in 
Management and Real Estate and minoring in Marketing. He took over the family 
ranch following his father’s death in 1975 and dedicated his life to his family. 
Russ was blessed with three children who loved him with all of their hearts. His 
third marriage to Jeraldine “Jerrie” Humphries in April of 2002 brought him the 
love of his life. He had an undying passion for hunting, taking his children to 
Colorado even as toddlers and traveling to Pearsall with his wife and family. He 
was a movie lover and a food connoisseur, although no meal ever seemed to compare 
to those prepared by his mother and grandmother. He loved to gather his family 
together for dinner and a movie. Russ was a great story teller with years of 
wonderfully colorful stories from a complicated man of wisdom, generosity, faith, 
adventure, rebellion, regret, and love. “…the greatest of these is love.” 
(1Corinthians 13:13)

Russ was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife Jerrie Loper of Waco, daughter Lauri Cherry of Austin 
and son-in-law Justin, daughter Susan Phipps of Waco and son-in-law Landon, son 
Russell Loper, Jr. of Waco, stepson Paul Francis of Corsicana and step-daughter-
in-law Kay, step-daughter Sommer Hibbler of Garland, grandchildren Kori Francis, 
Kasie Francis Roy, Tyler Little, and Lauren Little, great-grandchildren Delilah 
Francis and Hunter Roy, sister Cindy Emmons of Fairfield and brother in-law Steve, 
and nephews Bodie, Clay, and Corey Emmons.

Pallbearers were Russell Loper, Jr., Paul Francis, Justin Cherry, Landon Phipps, 
Eddie King, Sonny Wills, and Eric Lassiter.