Warren Copeland

COPELAND, Warren R.

Warren Rush Copeland, 80, died on January 22, 2023 following a three month illness. He was born on September 20,1943 in Davenport, Iowa to Vera and Rush Copeland. He grew up in Silvis, Illinois with two older brothers, Robert and David. He graduated from United Township High School in 1961. Four years later he graduated from MacMurray College. Two weeks after that graduation he married his college sweetheart, Clara Coolman. He graduated from Christian Theological Seminary in 1968 and was ordained as a Disciple of Christ pastor. He entered the Divinity School at the University of Chicago where he received his PhD in 1977. For four years he was the director for the Illinois Conference of Churches in Springfield, Illinois. In 1977 he came to Wittenberg University as associate professor in religion, teaching Social Ethics. He later became the director of Urban Studies. He received the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teaching Award in 1995. In 2008 he was named the faculty director of the Hagen Center. In 2018 he received the Medal of Honor for 41 years at Wittenberg. He is the author of two books in religious social ethics and co-editor of a third. Economic Justice and Issues of Justice (co-editor) appeared in 1988. And the Poor Get Welfare was published in 1994. He was appointed to the Springfield City Commission in 1988. He served as mayor from 1990-1994 and from 1998 until he retired in 2023. He was editor and primary author of Updating the Dream, a major study of Springfield in 1997. His ethical reflections on his time in Springfield City Government, Doing Justice in Our Cities appeared in the summer of 2009. Warren has been married since 1965 to Clara Coolman Copeland, a now retired Springfield City Schools Kindergarten teacher. They are the parents of three children: Scott (Laura), Karen (Carl) and Angel. They are grandparents to seven grandchildren: Megan, Tracey, Brianna, Tommy, Carter, Mackenzie and Camden and beloved by many extended family members. A memorial visitation will be held on February 3rd from 2-5pm at the CITY HALL FORUM (76 E. High Street Springfield, Oh 45502). A memorial service will be held the next day February 4th at 2:00pm in the SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM (701 E Home Road Springfield, Ohio 45503). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Rocking Horse Community Health Center (651 S. Limestone Street Springfield, OH 45505), First Baptist Church fellowship fund (638 S. Fountain Ave. Springfield, Ohio 45506), or to the Copeland Social Justice Award at Wittenberg University. To contribute to the scholarship fund, please go to giving.wittenberg.edu/campuslife. Checks can be made out to "Wittenberg University" with "Copeland Social Justice Award" in the memo line, and mailed to: Wittenberg University, PO Box 720, Springfield OH 45501.