William H. "Bill" Copeland

1942 - 2020

William H. (Bill) Copeland, 77, passed away Sunday, May 31, in Douglas, Michigan due to complications from Parkinson's disease. Two of his children were with him and he was surrounded by love and his favorite music.
Bill was born in Traverse City, Michigan to Willis and Ardith Copeland on Aug. 2, 1942. He graduated from West Branch (Michigan) High School in 1960 and then attended Michigan College of Mining and Technology branch in Sault Ste. Marie, graduating from the main campus in Houghton in 1965 with a degree in forestry. He married Audrey in 1964 and they had their first child in 1965. Bill was in ROTC, in college and as part of his military commitment the young family was assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and then was sent to Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska, arriving just in time to experience the earthquake and flood of 1967. When his tour of duty was over, Bill and Audrey stayed in the Fairbanks area, adding three more children to the family, and built a log house. After he and Audrey divorced, he married Donna Lane and they had a daughter. He worked for the Department of Natural Resources, eventually serving as district manager, retiring in October of 1990.
Over the years, Bill had many interests in such things as photography, motorcycles, river boating, hunting, camping, and, of course, music. Summer activities included lots of family camping trips on local rivers. Then he discovered his true passion ... sailing. He eventually moved to Valdez, set up a charter boat business and lived on his boat year round. He loved his boat Raven and the Prince William Sound area.
A huge part Bill's legacy are the experiences he gave his children and grandchildren. He exposed his five children and his grandchildren to a diverse selection of music - everything from Bach to Bachmann Turner Overdrive. He instilled in them an appreciation for nature and the environment, taught them outdoor skills, boating skills and shared many adventures fishing and sailing in Prince William Sound aboard his beloved Raven. Like his father, Bill was a great story teller and loved sharing anecdotes, adventures and experiences with those around him. His children and grandchildren tell the stories, whether it be the tale of Bill's father making peace with a squirrel, or the reason he put ranch dressing in his spaghetti, or his delightful telling of an encounter with a hummingbird at sea. (Search the internet for "Bill Copeland Providence," if you'd like to hear that one).
Bill is survived by former wife Donna Lane of Valdez and his youngest daughter Ardea Copeland of Hawaii. He is also survived by former wife Audrey Copeland and children, Amy McKenzie, Kathryn (Jeff) Monck, Peter (Melissa) Copeland and Bryan (Stephanie) Copeland. He is also survived by grandchildren, Natasha (Ben) Prax, Colin and Hayden McKenzie, Jillian (Joe) Jennings, Rob Monck, Madison and Alaina Copeland, RJ and Amanda Copeland. He was also blessed with great grandchildren Charlotte and Nicholas Prax, Isaiah and Janaiah Copeland, and new baby Jennings on the way. Other survivors include his two sisters, Sue Decker of Florida and Jan Copeland of Mexico, three nieces, Kelly, Katie and Krista, his aunt Phyllis Darling and several cousins. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, who owned a house in Fairbanks and spent many summers here, and by his brother and sister-in-law Rod and Louise Copeland.
Later in the year, Bill's children hope to gather at one of his favorite places in Prince William Sound to celebrate his life and wish him smooth sailing. He is greatly missed.