Howard Stuart Roper, age 67 of Oregon, passed away on Monday, December 7, 2015, surrounded by his family at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, after battling for 20 plus years with heart disease. He was born January 19, 1948, and was the adopted son of Raymond and Erma (Ott) Roper.

Howard graduated from Baraboo High School in 1967. Following high school he served as a Corpsman in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, alongside the Marines. Howard continued his service in the Navy after Vietnam and retired from the Naval Reserves in 1991. On September 2, 1972, he was united in marriage to Linda Cockroft at the Verona Baptist Church. Howard was a member of the Capitoland Christian Center for over 30 years.

Howard is survived by his children, Michael (Ruth) Roper of Oregon, WI, Patrick (Julie) Roper of Belleville, WI, Ruth Ann (Rick) Rogers of LaFarge, WI, Brent Roper of Oregon, WI, Robert Roper of Oregon, WI, and Elizabeth Roper of Oregon, WI; eight grandchildren, Mackenzie, Samuel, Jacob, Lenora, Liberty, Madeline, Zander, and Ryleigh. He is further survived by his in-laws, Judith (Bliss) Nicholson, Michael (Jeanie Coldiron) Cockroft, Joan (Jerry) Smithback, Constance (Roger) Jameson, and Patrick (Kimberly) Cockroft; brother, Gerald (Jackie) Baumgartner; sister, Peggy (Roger) Zicker; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Linda; brother, Ron Strohbusch; father-in-law and mother-in-law, LeRoy and Lenore Cockroft; and a niece, Katie Mathews.

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m., on Saturday, December 12, 2015, at the Capitoland Christian Center, 3651 Maple Grove Dr., Madison, WI, with Pastor Stephen Stauffacher officiating with burial in the Belleville Cemetery.

Relatives and friends called from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., on Friday, December 11, 2015, at the Becker-Beal Funeral Home, 109 Greenway Cross, Belleville, WI, and from 12:30 p.m. until time of services on Saturday, December 12, 2015, at the Capitoland Christian Center.

A memorial fund has been established.

An online memorial with guestbook is available at http://www.bealfuneralhomes.com