Carol (Coates) Copeland

Carol Copeland died peacefully with family at her side at Belmont Village (Albany) on June 15, 2021. Born Carol Evelyn Coates in Berkeley, CA on Sept. 27, 1924, she graduated from Berkeley High School and the University of California at Berkeley. In 1946, she married S. Bruce Copeland at First Congregational Church of Berkeley. Bruce’s work took the family to Connecticut, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette and Sacramento, CA, the Philadelphia area, Evanston, IL, Charleston, WV, and Charlottesville, VA. They returned to the Bay Area in 2004, eventually moving to Oakland’s Lake Park retirement community. With a quiet grace and a winning smile, Carol had a knack for engaging with people young and old. Her mother’s mastery of arts and crafts influenced Carol’s creative life in painting, weaving and pottery. She loved reading, gardening, and walking in nature. Carol had a strong sense of social justice; in every new town, she and Bruce would seek out the Protestant church that best matched their progressive values. Carol was also an active volunteer in many community organizations.

Carol’s memory will be cherished by her children, Sue Copeland Jones (Nick) of Berkeley, CA, Tom Copeland (Diane) of St. Paul, MN, Janet Copeland (Tom Carney) of Coral Gables, FL, and Margaret Copeland of Berkeley, CA; her grandchildren, David Meek (Highland Park, IL), Chris Jones (Tempe, AZ), Leslie Carney (Orlando, FL), Erin Carney (Amsterdam, Netherlands), and Claire Copeland (Berkeley, CA); and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Barrett and Evangeline Coates, her brothers Barrett, Jr. and Kenneth, and her husband.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Contributions to Planned Parenthood in her memory are welcome.