Heaven received Ardith Beverly Copeland, 86, who passed away peacefully March 24, 2009 with her family by her side at Indian River Medical Center, Vero Beach, FL.
Ardith was born May 16, 1922 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Leroy and Betty Bratsch. She met and married Willis W. Copeland of Traverse City, Michigan in 1941; after raising four children she worked for the Michigan State Employment Security Commission, retiring in 1984. Shortly thereafter Ardith and her husband purchased a home in Fairbanks, Alaska and spent the following years traveling between Alaska, Michigan and Florida. They also explored many parts of United States, Canada and Mexico as well as Australia, New Zealand and Africa.
An accomplished pianist, Ardith loved playing and listening to music. She enjoyed flower gardening and wilderness adventures with her husband and family. She loved animals, both pets and wild ones, and was an avid photographer of them.
She was a member of the Eastern Stars and the United Methodist Church.
Beloved for her kindness, generosity, and gentle humor, she will be dearly missed by her husband of 67 years, Willis Copeland; sons William Copeland of Valdez, AK, Rodney Copeland of Vero Beach, FL; daughters Jan Copeland of Guanajuato, Mexico and Sue Copeland Armbruster of Vero Beach, FL; their spouses; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; her sister Phyllis Darling of Oak Park, MI and many nieces and nephews.
She is predeceased by her brother Lee Bratsch and Sister Geraldine Denton.
Services: The family will receive friends 10:30 - 11:00 AM, Saturday, March 28, 2009 at the Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home in Vero Beach, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM, at the funeral home.