Charlotte Ann (Sanders) Coppinger, 82, of Sheridan, WY, died Monday, August 30, 2010 in Westview Health Care Center.

Mrs. Coppinger was born in Casper, WY August 19, 1928 to Jess and Mary (Freiling) Sanders. The family moved to Sheridan, WY when she was 2 years old. The family moved around the Northern part of Wyoming as her father worked for meat companies and Sawyer Grocery Stores. She went to several schools during that time and then Central School and graduated from Sheridan High School in 1946.

She worked at the local telephone company as a night time Board Operator. She knew all the town gossip.

Two years later she married Andrew J. Ballek. She was a house wife and had 4 boys, Leonard, Donald, Paul, and Charles Ballek. They divorced in 1961 and she ran a local motel and campground.

She went back to school in 1972 and got an Associate Degree in counseling. Mrs. Coppinger worked at several programs as a substance abuse councilor in Billings, Helena, and Columbus Montana, and in Pinedale, Gillette and in Sheridan where she was one of the original councilors at Thunder Child and worked at the Mental Health Office in Sheridan before her retirement around 2000.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her sister, Vivian, who was only 2 years old from convulsions, and her brother, Clifford Sanders in 2008.

Mrs. Coppinger is survived by sons Leonard Ballek, Corvallis, Montana, Donald Ballek, Ukiah, California, Paul Ballek, Sheridan, Wyoming, and Charles Ballek, Skooke, BC, Canada.

A private memorial service will be held next spring. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home.

Memorials in memory of Mrs. Coppinger may be made to the Sheridan Dog and Cat Shelter, 84 E. Ridge Rd., Sheridan, WY 82801.

The Sheridan Press - August 31, 2010.