James R. Copeland's Obituary
JAMES RONALD COPELANDRon Copeland, 82, passed on Monday, March 5, 2019 at Palo Alto Veterans Administration Medical Center after a brief but severe illness.He leaves his brother Larry L. Copeland, two sons, Ronald A. Copeland (children- Ronald A. Jr., Zachary R. and Alliyah B.) and Pastor Mark A. Copeland with daughter-in-law Kathy L. Copeland (children- Mark A. Jr., Micah T. and Trinity L.). Ron is also survived by four great grandchildren (Jaya, Tamia, Ronald Jr. II and Nazier) cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of friends and colleagues.Ron, the son of Otis and Wanda Copeland, was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. His spiritual roots were established through the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He attended Austin High School where he displayed talent in both baseball and basketball. For a short period of time Glenville High School in Cleveland, OH was also the beneficiary of his basketball skills. Ron studied at Knoxville College and later graduated from Contra Costa College in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a young man, Ron enlisted in the US Air Force and became a member of the squadron baseball team. Ron was a stand-out player in the far East, including Korea, Japan and the Philippines. He was honorably discharged as an Airman 1st Class, Special Services in 1961.In that same year, Ron met Dorothy Hill in Berkeley, CA and they were married in 1962. During the course of his life he lived and worked in the SF Bay Area, Cleveland, OH and Detroit, MI. He had a gift of gab which served him well as a cab and bus driver. He hit his stride when he began sales and beer deliveries for Mark Stein Beverage Company and was promoted to Sales Manager. After discovering an aptitude for sales and management, Ron cultivated a long career in leadership with McGraw Hill, focusing on the construction industry in CA, NV and MI.Under the pastoral guidance of Pastors Mark and Kathy Copeland at Kingdom Life Leadership Ministries International, Ron developed a strong personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. For recreation, he was an avid tennis player and a member of the Par Chasers Golf Club.Services for Ron will be held at Chapel of the Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA 94544 at 11:00 AM. Family viewing 10:30 AM -11:00 AM
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