Nita Cropper

Nita McElhaney Cropper, aged 90, of South Portsmouth, KY, passed away Friday
March 31, 2017 at Heartland of Portsmouth. She was born April 14, 1926 in
Portsmouth, OH, a daughter of the late Russell C. McElhaney and Nettie Miller
McElhaney. She graduated from South Portsmouth High School, attended Morehead
State Teachers College on an academic scholarship, transferred to and was
graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1947 and pursued post graduate
studies at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, William B. Cropper Sr.,
whom she married on June 5, 1948. She was also preceded in death by a brother,
Robert Dyer McElhaney.
She is survived by her children, William B. Cropper Jr. of South Portsmouth, KY,
Gail (Robert) Swick of Wheelersburg, OH, and Dwight R. Cropper of South
Portsmouth, KY.; one grandson, William Harrell (Erica) Wood of Powell, OH;
one granddaughter, Dr. Jennifer Erin (Josef) Shewring of Dublin, OH.; four
great-grandchildren, James B. Wood, Anna E. Wood, Katherine E. Shewring and
Megan R. Shewring; and several cousins.
In addition to operating the family farms in Greenup and Lewis counties with her
late husband, she taught various science and math courses at Lloyd Memorial High
School in Erlanger, KY. and South Portsmouth High School. She taught biology at
McKell High School in South Shore, KY and academic biology at Portsmouth High
School in Portsmouth, OH for a total of thirty-four years in the classroom.
Mrs. Cropper was a member of the First United Methodist Church in South Shore,
KY. She was a Kentucky Colonel, a member of Joseph Spencer Chapter of the
National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, and a founding member
of the Scioto Valley Chapter of the United States Daughters of the War of 1812,
both in Portsmouth, OH.
Funeral services will be held at 1pm Monday April 3, 2017 at Morton Funeral Home
in South Shore, KY with Sean Schroll officiating. Burial will be in the cemetery
on the family farm in South Portsmouth, KY. Visitation will be Sunday from 6 to
9 pm and Monday from 11am until the time of services.
In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to, The Archaeological Conservancy,
1717 Girard Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106.
Online condolences may be expressed at mortonfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nita Cropper, please visit our floral store.