Kelly Edward Copas

Kelly E. Copas, passed away at his beloved farm in Gold City, KY, on March 17, 2026.

A native of Simpson County, KY, he is survived by his husband, Ed Barlow, father, Eddie B. Copas (Penelope), sister-in-law Beth Barlow Wright (Aubrey) of Dallas, his posse of personality including Jack, Percy, Nigel, Dottie, Mamma Meow, Lola, and Pinky, and a bevy of the beautifully different and vulnerable - animals with the good fortune to find their way to Kelly.

Kelly is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Ann Fleming Copas, nephew Justin Copas, in-laws Ed and Sarah Barlow, and dear companions from Grey Goat to Dakota and others who enjoyed a charmed life alongside Kelly.

Raised on the farm where he lived, his love of nature was innate. He nurtured everything -plants, animals, people, hope, creativity, and wanderlust his entire life. Often described as one-of-a-kind, he was always there with a caring shoulder, listening ear, and encouraging word. Acutely attentive, he wanted everyone to be heard and valued, to know their worth. Your happiness was his. His quiet, boundless generosity was a reflex, and it brought him great joy to do things for others.

Love and laughter were paramount. And he did both without end. A prankster by nature - he loved to startle and scare. Bold laughter was ever the great reward. April Fool’s Day silliness was his favorite. Yet most never seem to remember that. Truly a mistake and a hilarious one.

His family of educators introduced him to arts and letters early on, even studying in France in high school and playing classical piano. And he quickly came to agree with Mark Twain: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” As a boy, jets used to fly over the farm, and he dreamed of the places they go and the adventures in getting there. He would soon be working flights on ATA around-the-world trips, speaking multiple languages, and living in far flung places like Paris and Algiers, immersed in countless cultures. Those times cultivated the friendships he carried throughout his life. He returned to the skies with Southwest Airlines - the perfect retirement gig for the consummate host and stand-up comic with a captive audience. He loved his cohort, and many have said that every trip was fun because Kelly was on it. That smile. That laugh. That fun-loving spirit.

Between airline careers he followed in generations of footsteps and became both a farmer and an educator with degrees from WKU and Vanderbilt. Kelly was immensely proud of the strong, healthy lines of breeding stock cattle raised with his dad. And as a teacher from junior high to grad school, he made an impact on students, teachers, and student teachers daily. He loved his years in jail, teaching at Warren Regional Juvenile Detention, introducing incarcerated youth to language, literature, art, yoga, movement, and meditation that opened eyes and imaginations to opportunity and achievement. Different never meant discarded to Kelly, and he invested in his students to inspire them to new heights. He beamed with pride seeing or hearing from former students.

Because you should always have 4-6 jobs, the flight attendant farmer began another retirement gig as a positive behavior support specialist, which intersected all of his interests and expertise, a career capstone. He took his philosophy of positivity into the behavior space and worked with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and caregivers. He celebrated them and their progress every chance he could. Kelly became part of their families, and this warmed his heart.

Kelly and Ed were convinced that their late grandmothers (both from southern Kentucky) somehow brought them together to share their love of the outdoors, food, travel, nature, quick wit, and most animals (Ed is not a bird person) with each other. They are forever grateful for that and all the great experiences together from marathon finish lines to Gauley River rafting to birthdays in New Orleans to snorkeling in a kelp forest to hiking in Taos to sea cave kayaking and sunsets at the farm.

If you choose to honor Kelly, please give to an organization of your choice focused on animals, individuals with disabilities, or scholarship for students of any age. Kelly loved to give directly to those he cared about in any moment of need. So help grandparents raising grandkids with disabilities. Hug your pets and rescue another. Donate pet food for disaster relief. Send unexpected flowers. Compliment someone every day. Tip big. Help the vulnerable experience comfort and hope. Give generously and anonymously. Repeat.

A celebration gathering will be held in the coming weeks. Details will be updated here.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Gilbert Funeral Home & Crematory. For more information, please visit their website at www.gilbertfhonline.com or their Facebook page, Gilbert Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. You may also call the obituary phone line at 270-586-8844.