In Memory of

Josey

Dwight

"Jose"

Copeland

Obituary for Josey Dwight "Jose" Copeland

Josey Dwight “Jose” Copeland, 71, loving husband of Joyce Bartlette Copeland, died Wednesday, January 3, 2018, at MUSC in Charleston.

Born August 6, 1946, in Sumter, he was a son of the late John Marion Copeland and the late Susan Josey Copeland. He was a member of Ashwood Church of the Nazarene. He retired from the Sumter Fire Department as an engineer after 25 years of service. He was a Fire Department cook and had cooked for the U.S. Secret Service and President George Bush. He assisted with recovery efforts after Hurricane Andrew by cooking for the relief workers. He was a Combat Engineer in the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War.
He was a member of the White Horse Hunting Club.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years; a brother, Gerald Copeland of Florence; two sisters, Rebecca “Becky” McDuffie and Janie Copeland both of Sumter; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by siblings, Inez Daniels, Thurmond Copeland, Donald Copeland, Agnes Holland, James Copeland, and Leila Belken.

Funeral services will be held at 3 P.M. Sunday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Al Sims and the Rev. Robert Morris officiating. Burial will be in the Sumter Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Bill Christmas, John Copeland, Patrick Buckner, Doug Connelly, Roger Jowers, and Ray Mills.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Sumter Fire Department and Buck Wells.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 P.M. Sunday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 950 48th Avenue North, Suite 101, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.