Darrel William Copeland December 17, 1944 – January 24, 2019 Share this obituary Send Sympathy Gifts Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Darrel William Copeland, age 74, passed away suddenly Thursday, January 24, 2019, at his rural Naples, ID, residence. He was born December 17, 1944, in Festus, MO, to Oscar and Myrtle Lee (O’Shia) Copeland, and grew up on a small farm near DeSoto, MO. Darrel graduated from Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro, MO, and worked for AT&T, then the railroad, in St. Louis, MO, before moving to San Francisco, CA, to work in transportation at Crown Zellarbach.
With the mid-1980’s company buyout by English Lord, which relieved 450 employees — including Darrel — of their positions, he moved to Roseburg, OR, to work as transportation manager at Roseburg Forest Products. In the early-1990’s, with the collapse of the timber industry in the Pacific Northwest, Darrel had opportunity and impetus to return to school. He worked 80 hours per week at multiple jobs, including the railroad, while studying on the college level.
At the age of 50, he received his AA from Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, OR, and a year later, at 51 years of age, earned his BA in business management from Northwest Christian College, Portland, OR. By 2004, Darrel moved to Moses Lake, WA, where he wrote his own job description and worked as Human Res and Safety Manager with Inland Tarp and Cover, until his 2015 retirement to Boundary County, ID. On December 29, 1984, Darrel married Connie Weeks, and was a devoted husband and father for their blended family, loving his step-children and step-grandchildren as his own.
Most of all, he loved his LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and served Him in various churches throughout his life, beginning to teach Sunday School class at age 16. In most recent years, he has been a faithful member of Grace Bible Fellowship church family in Bonners Ferry, ID, where he immersed himself in ministry, serving as church treasurer, music director/team leader, AWANA Truth & Training director, and deacon-without-the-title. His gentleness and humility in ministry was as noteworthy as his commitment.
Darrel’s civic and community activities, besides church ministry, were centered mostly around his great talent and love for music. He was in choir during high school and participated in state competitions. In his early to middle adult years, he was active with the Lion’s Club and barbershop quartet, and engaged in church choirs, music teams, and ensembles, and did solo special music for churches his entire life.
Only the day before his death, he was enthusiastically discussing plans for the church ministry team’s participation in an upcoming international music conference. Darrel was preceded in death by both of his parents and a younger brother Norman, as well as 2 nieces — Kelli and Mindi — and a nephew Norman. Survivors include his wife Connie and children Craig (Julia) Copeland (Livermore, CA), Jennifer (Kevin) Hallam (Walker, MO), Andrew Weeks (Roseburg, OR), Aleesa Weeks Painter (MO), and Aaron (Katie) Weeks (Portland, OR).
He is also survived by 13 grandchildren, including 3 raised by Darrel and Connie: Alexandra Comstock of OR, Mikaela Weeks of LA, and Kody Wilson, of the family home near Naples, ID; 2 great-grandchildren; a sister Nadine (Leon) Priest (Radcliffe, KY), 2 brothers: Denver (Debbie) Copeland (Vine Grove, KY), and Christopher (Natasha) Copeland (Honolulu, HI); 4 nieces; ex-wife Carolyn (Dean) Namanny (Santa Rosa, CA); and a sister-in-law Donna (Kent) Chism (St. Louis, MO), whom he also raised in his home. A service of remembrance will begin at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 2, 2019, at Grace Bible Fellowship, 6291 Main Street, Bonners Ferry, ID.
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