Jack Copeland

Jack Alexander Copeland, 92, passed away on October 10, 2019 in Katy, Texas.   He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on July 2, 1927 to Alexander Copeland and Etha May (Harris) Copeland.

He is survived by his two loving daughters, Toni Copeland, and Dena Copeland & husband Nathaniel Morrell; 4 granddaughters, Shaun (Copeland) Metoyer, Lez’li (Copeland) Waller, Marisha Copeland-Morrell, and Alexandria Morrell; 5 Great-Grandchildren, Adrien Copeland, Kevin Brown, Warren Copeland, Nadia Metoyer, and Mykael Metoyer; and 5 Great-Great-Grandchildren, Kassidy Brown-Hill, Matai Gray, Sina Malepeai, Elijah Malepeai, and Cairo Waller.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his loving wife nearly 30 years ago, Minnette (Tull) Copeland; his son, Christopher Alexander Copeland, and his brother, Louis Copeland.

Jack was a gregarious man who never met a stranger and was loved by many.  Jack graduated from Des Moines North High school and the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  He completed his military obligations to our country by serving in the Army and was a honorably discharged veteran.  He worked at Solar Aircraft while living in Des Moines, Iowa.  It was ironic that the plant that closed became the building that Toni (oldest daughter) would later walk through daily as a Tech High school student.   He moved to Los Angeles in the mid 1950's and worked as an engineer at Rocketdyne, a division of North American Rockwell and supplier to NASA.  Projects he participated on include the Apollo space craft and the earlier space Shuttles.  He worked at Rocketdyne until he retired.   He proudly showed the “Silver Snoopy” award pin he received from working on the Apollo space crafts, and laughed about driving through the desert with shuttle windshields in his trunk praying they didn't break.  He was a proud Hawkeye Alum, and an avid LA Lakers fan, who loved playing golf, tennis, going for long walks, handicapping the race horses, and gambling.   Jack was a hoot and lived life to the fullest.

Gonna miss you, Dad!  May you reunite with family, buddies, and find a racetrack to enjoy beyond the pearly gates!  You will forever remain in all of our hearts.

Services are scheduled for Friday, October 18, 2019 in the Chapel of Beresford Funeral Service.   The visitation starts at 12 p.m. and the funeral will begin at 1 p.m.