Marie Copeland

1940 - 2025

Mrs. Marie Moore Copeland, a deeply-rooted Kentuckian, died unexpectedly November 19, 2025 in Winston-Salem, NC, her home for the past two years. She was 85. A Celebration of Life and burial in Lexington Cemetery, KY, will be held in spring 2026.

Marie was born August 10, 1940 in Harrodsburg, KY to parents James Harvey Moore and Vivian Tebbs Smith Moore. After graduating from Harrodsburg High School she attended Vanderbilt University nursing school. While working in the Vanderbilt Hospital she met a young intern, Dr. Guy Nelson Copeland, junior. Marie and Nelson married August 5, 1961. Marie happily accompanied Nelson to several locations over the next seven years as he completed his medical training: Memphis, TN, Chicopee, MA (Westover Air Force Base), and Durham, NC. But Marie was planning for the long game – a permanent return to The Kentucky Bluegrass. In 1968 Marie and Nelson, and their two young children, settled in Lexington, KY to establish Nelson's medical practice. The following year they purchased the home where they would raise their family and reside until June 2023. After 54 years in one home filled with purpose and memories (Blue Grass Trust designation), Marie and Nelson moved to Arbor Acres Retirement Community in Winston-Salem, NC to be near their daughter for their next life chapter. Sadly, Marie's complications with Parkinson's accelerated during 2025.

During the 1970s in Lexington, Marie completed her undergraduate schooling, albeit on a different track. She received her BS in Landscape Architecture from University of Kentucky in 1979. Over the next few years she practiced as a landscape architect and realtor.

But Marie was most often recognized as a life-long contributor to projects: she thrived on the energy of working with people on common interests. As a young mother, she led the effort to plan and build the Cassidy Elementary playground. Later she was involved in erecting historical markers for Bluegrass area rock fences, the Paris Pike Advisory Task Force, and the vision committee for the McConnell Springs park area. She was named a Kentucky Colonel in 1973. In 2008 she was selected to serve on the Lexington-Fayette Urban Planning Commission, a responsibility and honor that gave her much joy.

To her family she was known as the keeper of the family genealogy records, an impressive historical collection started by her mother. Marie was proud of her family's 250 year legacy in Kentucky and enjoyed retelling the stories from generations past. Her deep knowledge of our family's common thread will be missed.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Tebbs Shewmaker Moore, her sister-in-law Martha Jane Phillips Moore, and her brother-in-law Condit VanArsdall. She is survived by her daughter, Caren York (Greg) of High Point, NC, son, James Copeland of Atlanta, GA, sisters Jamie VanArsdall (Dick Billings) of Anacortes, WA and Dixie Moore recently of Cincinnati, OH but also a near-lifelong Kentuckian. Marie was an attentive, intentional, and teach-through-doing grandmother to her five grandchildren: Grey York, Catherine York Mace (Daniel), Charles York, Spencer Copeland (Lee-elle) and Emily Stewart Copeland. Her brother's children, niece Elizabeth Ann Hammelrath (Steve) and nephew Hart Moore (Shauna) and their children were dearly loved and appreciated for carrying on many of the Kentucky-family traditions.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Arbor Acres Retirement Community, especially Ali Gilmartin, who helped Marie live independently despite her increasing struggles with Parkinson's complications.

Online condolences may be made through www.cumbyfuneral.com.