Jose Copa

Jose Copa, age 93, of Lorain, Ohio passed away Sunday, January 25, 2026. He was born June 3, 1932 in Lorain, Ohio to parents Antonio Copa Rodriguez and Mercedes Fernandez Copa.

Jose was born in Lorain, Ohio but at three months old moved with his family to Monforte de Lemos, Spain to escape the difficulty of the depression here in the US. Here in the northwest region of Spain Jose grew up alongside his siblings where he helped his father establish a successful food feedstock business and graduated from the over 400 year old Escorial-Escolapios Cardenal High School/College Prep School. At age 24 when he received orders to complete Spanish army military service, thereby forfeiting his US citizenship, Jose left Spain and by way of the US Portugal Embassy was able to return to America, the land of his birth. He started over in what he saw as a land of opportunity and place to start a family and was soon able to convince the parents of his longtime girlfriend from Spain to allow her to come to the US also. Berta moved here, they were married on July 29, 1957, and started their family and dreams together, back in Lorain where it had all started for Jose.

Jose worked for Ford Motor and US Steel National Tube Works in Lorain for eight years. He later retired in 1994 from BF Goodrich Chemical Co. in Avon Lake as a Chemical and Quality Operator after 26 years. Jose and Berta also owned and managed multi-dwelling apartments in central Lorain together for 45 years. The apartments business also became an after-retirement hobby as he enjoyed staying busy, maintaining the units, and developing relationships with long term, trustworthy tenants who he supported at their times of need.

Jose and Berta were major proponents of education, encouraging their children and grandchildren to not only advance their education, but continue to learn past the completion of a degree as an education can never be taken away once earned. He was so proud that his two sons and all five grandchildren went to college and secured degrees he had caps for each college and was sure to wear the respective college cap during visits. This was just one of the many ways Jose displayed his love and dedication to his family.

After ensuring his family was loved and cared for, Jose would enjoy things for himself. It's said that some eat to live, but Jose lived to eat; he never missed a meal and never gained weight! And his love of food (Spanish food, apple pie, almonds, and garlic shrimp were favorites) served Jose well with his love of travel, returning to Spain 31 times with Berta. He liked to spend time on the computer searching topics and learning about space exploration, financial information, travel destinations and music, along with tracking the itineraries of family members travels. When there was time to pause for television, Jose could be found enjoying Seinfeld or cheering on a Cleveland sports team (particularly the Browns and the Cavs), and watching Spain winning the soccer World Cup was a particular highlight. When spending time outside it was typically walking, weather permitting, or watching and feeding the birds in his backyard. When his health began creating limitations, Jose still followed his daily physical therapy routines and enjoyed knowing he was supporting his health by doing so. Very recently Jose told his family "What more can I ask for? I have lived a long life. My health and God have been good to me. I have a wonderful family. I accomplished everything that I set out to do. What else do I want?" May we all finish our race so well as Jose.

Jose is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years Berta Copa (Vazquez) ; loving sons Frank J. (Shelley) Copa (Oestreich) , and Anthony "Tony" (Kelly) Copa (Densham); cherished grandchildren Christine (Michael) Heinrichs, Claire (Amber) Copa, Adrienne Copa, Hannah (Keith) Everhart, Andrew (Abigail) Copa; and dear great-grandchildren Patrick, Alyssa, Josephine, Elizabeth, Christopher. He was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings Antonio Copa, and Louisa Copa Diaz (Jesus Diaz Pereira).

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jose's honor are suggested to St. Peter Parish, 3655 Oberlin Ave., Lorain, OH 44053 https://www.stpeterlorain.org/giving

Family will receive friends on Saturday, January 31, 2026 from 11:00am until the Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00pm at St. Peter Catholic Church, 3655 Oberlin Avenue, Lorain, OH 44053. Burial at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Avon, Ohio. www.buschcares.com 440-937-6175