Robert Copeland

Staff Sgt. Robert Van Copeland, 76, passed away Tuesday morning, July 26, 2022 in Denison, Texas after a lengthy illness. He was born at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas on July 6, 1946, the son of Maj. Richard Theodore and Viola Agnes (Lloyd) Copeland.
Robert graduated from Parkland High School in El Paso, Texas, Class of 1966. Following graduation, he enlisted with the U.S. Air Force and was immediately transferred to Lackland AFB, San Antonio.
He met Mary Smith, daughter of Orville and Juanita (Blakley) Smith at Loving Baptist Church in Sherman on a Sunday morning. They celebrated 56 years of marriage in December 2021.
He was selected for technical training at Lowry AFB, Colorado as an Air Force munitions specialist. He served as a weapons mechanic in the 4780th Air Defense Wing at Perrin AFB, helping his organization earn the Outstanding Unit award and even receiving a distinctive service ribbon. He also received the Bronze Star Medal. In 1968 he served at Clark AFB in the Philippines and soon after fought in Vietnam.
Robert and Mary were transferred to Andover, Kansas in 1970 where he served at McConnell AFB. The happy couple was blessed with a daughter, Catherine, in 1971. Robert was medically discharged in 1973 and the family moved home to Texas. He found employment at Texas Instruments for several years before starting a career at the Sherman Post Office, where he worked for eight years prior to retirement. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and other hobbies on the lake such as skiing and parasailing. He was a life-long lover of music and later in life enjoyed collecting and repairing guitars.
 Robert is survived by his wife, Mary of Denison; his daughter, Catherine and husband, Kirk Sharpe of Fort Worth; granddaughter, Ashlee Hale and husband, Derrick Goracke of Sherman; sister, Anne Copeland and partner, Richard McCoy of Arizona; cousins, Gail (Armstrong) and husband, Timothy Bowers-Irons, Brian Armstrong and wife, Connie, Karen (Armstrong) and husband, Charles Rhoades, James Whitener and wife, Jacquelyn and Wayne Whitener as well as additional extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, Charles Bracher and Florence Eva (Park) Copeland and MSgt Ira Frederick and Beatrice (Jones) Lloyd.
A private interment was held Tuesday, July 26th at 2:00 pm at Enterprise Cemetery in Sherman.
A remembrance service will be held at Victory Life, 4100 N. Travis Street, Sherman, TX on Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 11:00 am to be followed by lunch at the same location.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to your charity of choice in Robert’s memory.
The online registry book may be signed at https://www.johnsonmoorefuneralhome.net.