Jim Copeland

1941 - 2022

Jim Copeland
December 27, 1941 - April 25, 2022
San Luis Obispo, California - Longtime community business leader, advocate, mentor and philanthropist, Jim Copeland, passed away on April 25, 2022 at French Hospital in San Luis Obispo, surrounded by family after a short battle with a sudden illness. He was 80-years-old.
Jim was born on December 27, 1941 in Berkeley, California to parents Jack and Thelma Copeland. After living in Oakland during his early years, Jack and Thelma moved the family to the Central Coast, where Jim and his younger brother, Tom, grew up. Jim attended both Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo High Schools, where he played football. He graduated from San Luis Obispo High in 1959.
After high school, Jim attended the College of the Sequoias in Visalia and later Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, before deciding to join the United States Army. Jim once said that joining the Army was the best decision he ever made, because after being stationed in San Antonio, Texas, he was transferred to the Black Hills Army Depot in Igloo, South Dakota, where he met the love of his life, Sandy Cooley. Jim and Sandy were married on March 2, 1963 and enjoyed each other as husband and wife for more than 59 years.
Family was extremely important to Jim, and after being honorably discharged from the military in 1965, he returned with his young and growing family to the Central Coast to help his mom run her store, Copeland's Fine Shoes. It was from there that Jim and Tom co-founded Copeland Sports, growing one sporting goods store in San Luis Obispo to over 50 locations in four states. They sold the retail chain along with other sporting goods manufacturing companies in 2001.
Jim and Tom made it a priority to revitalize downtown San Luis Obispo by preserving historic buildings and creating new developments, including Hotel San Luis Obispo, Downtown Center, China Town, and Court Street. Jim was also involved in other business ventures to provide products, services and technologies to help the world become a cleaner, healthier place.
Jim and Sandy long supported the community with health care, the arts, academia, and athletics. They were founding sponsors of French Hospital's Copeland, Forbes & Rossi Cardiac Care Center, Hearst Cancer Resource Center, and Copeland Health and Education Pavilion, as well as significant donors to the Christopher Cohen Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo Children's Museum, Old Mission School retrofit, and the new San Luis Obispo County Jail Behavioral Health Unit, benefiting inmates with mental health issues.
Invaluable champions of Cal Poly's academic and athletic success, Jim and Sandy, along with Tom and his wife Pam, started the Elijah McCoy Scholars program, funding ten full ride scholarships for Black engineering students to graduate without student debt. Additionally, Jim and Sandy have provided for campus improvements, including the Beach Volleyball Complex, Baseball Clubhouse, Mott Athletic Center and the future Tennis Pavilion. Jim was a big fan of Cal Poly sports teams, attending as many competitions as he could. He enjoyed cheering on the Mustangs with Sandy. Even during his illness, Jim watched as many Cal Poly baseball games online as he was able and knew how every player was doing. Planned before his passing, Jim will be conferred an honorary Doctorate of Business from Cal Poly in June of 2022.
Civically, Jim was a member of French Hospital Medical Center's Community Board having served from 2004 up until his passing. He held many positions, including as Chairman of the Board. He received the 2014 Louis M. Tedone Humanitarian Award for community wellness contributions. Even during the last moments of his life, Jim was talking "hospital business" with the doctors and staff, while thanking them for the care he had received. It is with heartfelt gratitude that Jim's family would like to thank the entire team of doctors and ICU staff who treated him with the utmost levels of expertise and compassion, including doctors Jim Malone, Lin Soe, Kevin Ferguson, Mark Soll, Howard Hayashi, Thomas Vendegna, Michael DiBiase, Mike Ryan, Chris Holland and Ross Michel.
Jim was preceded in death by his father Jack, mother Thelma, and step-father, Bernard Roselip. He is survived by his wife— Sandy, his brother—Tom (Pam), his three children—Mike (Sharon) Copeland, Kathy (Tom) Casares and Rick (Mariver) Copeland, his six grandchildren—Hannah Fehlman, Camille (Eric) Peterson, Grant and Bryan Copeland, and Luke and Ally Copeland, three great grandchildren—Zoey Fehlman and Ava and Olivia Peterson, as well as many nieces and nephews.
There will be a private celebration of life held for Jim.
Donations honoring Jim Copeland may be made to:
(1) The Elijah McCoy Scholarship - please send checks payable to the California Community Foundation, memo: McCoy Scholarship Fund, at 221 S. Figueroa St., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(2) Beach Volleyball Program – please send checks payable to Cal Poly Foundation, memo: Beach Volleyball Program at Intercollegiate Athletics, Attn: Sharon Wagner, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
(3) Hearst Cancer Research Center – please send checks payable to French Hospital Medical Center, memo: Hearst Cancer Research, 1911 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401
Just prior to his passing, Jim received a message from a local business leader that read, "We leave this world twice in our lives. Once in death and once when we are forgotten. You will not be forgotten. I will tell tales and stories till the end of my own life, reminding the young and old the many lessons you brought to bear. Why a man who started in shoes, left footprints far and wide. Why difficult paths are worth taking and outcomes matter." Jim gave his best in serving his Nation, the Central Coast community, friends, and family. He will be sorely missed.