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YOUNGSTOWN Joseph Bernard Kope, 94, passed away Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.
He was born Aug. 5, 1926, at 439 E. Marion Ave., Youngstown, the eldest of four children of Weronika “Vera” Gutwinska and Joseph Bartholomew Kopiczenski Kope. His paternal grandparents were Paulina and Marcin Kopiczenski. His maternal grandparents were Paulina and Ferdinand Gutwinski.
Joseph attended St. Stanislaus Kostka grade school, Princeton Junior High School and graduated from South High School at age 16 with the class of 1943.
Joseph played the accordion, piano and organ, having been taught by Yolanda Lombard, Yolanda Collins and Esther Heyman. At an early World War II bond drive held at the Krakusy Hall on South Avenue, he gave a piano concert playing works by Chopin, Beethoven and Paderewski; $20,000 of bonds were sold that day. He also gave a piano concert to honor the Bishop of Youngstown at a Polish Arts Club dinner held at Rover’s Restaurant when he was 15 years old.