Edwin Copeland

COPELAND SR., EDWIN C., 86, of Annapolis, MD died October 10, 2013. He was born May 25, 1927 in Landrum, SC. Mr. Copeland graduated from Landrum (SC) High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1947 then graduated from Berea College (KY) in 1951 with an English major, from the University of South Carolina with a Master's degree in elementary education in 1957, from the University of Maryland with Counselor education in 1959, and from George Washington University (Washington, DC) with an Educational administration and personnel management Doctor's degree in 1977. Mr. Copeland taught English in an elementary school in Spartanburg County (SC) for six years before moving to Anne Arundel County in 1957. He was a teacher at Ridgeway Elementary School and Arundel Junior High School for two years, a counselor at Arundel Junior High School and Annapolis Junior High School for five years, and a Personnel Specialist for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools with primary responsibilities for school staffing and promotion screening for 25 years. He retired from the school system in 1990. After retirement, Mr. Copeland taught GED classes for one year. He also delivered flowers for several years for the Gateway Florist. Mr. Copeland was a member of the College Ave./Heritage Baptist Church since 1957. He was always active in church, most recently as a teacher of the pre-teenage Sunday School class. He was Chairperson of the Staff Relations Committee, a deacon, a member of the church's History Committee and Senior Council. With his wife Hilda's leadership, they were involved in the church's ESOL program for a number of years. For several years, Mr Copeland was on the Board of Directors of the Annapolis Area Ministries, an umbrella group responsible for the operation of the Light House Shelter for the Homeless and Anchor House Transitional Housing, He taught basic mathematics and reading skills at the shelters and helped guests with resume development and other job search skills. Mr. Copeland was past president of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County in 1964, and the Anne Arundel Retired Teachers in 1994. He was also past president of the Middle Atlantic Association for School, College, and University Staffing which awarded him its third Distinguished Service Award in its then 25 years of existence. Mr. Copeland was a charter member of the Anne Arundel County Teachers for Better Government. He was also a Teacher-Specialist-in-Politics for the National Education Association for several years and the Community Coordinator for the Anne Arundel County AARP for 10 years. Among his many accomplishments, he was listed in the Who's Who in the East in 1964 and 1965 and inducted into the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in 2002. Mr. Copeland's hobbies included family camping, cooking, and especially baking. He was preceded in death by his brother, Gerald Copeland and a sister, Evelyn Free. Mr. Copeland is survived by his wife of 60 years, Hilda Davenport Copeland; his son, Edwin Copeland, Jr. of Pasadena, MD and his wife Diane; his son, David Copeland and his wife Cheryl of Silver Spring, MD; his grandchildren, Jones William Copeland and Aurora Sue Copeland; and a brother, Ray Copeland of Campobello, SC. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 7-9 PM at the Heritage Baptist Church, 1740 Forest Dr., Annapolis, MD 21401 where services will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 AM. Interment Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Online condolences may be placed at www.hardestyfuneralhome.com