Jerry Copeland

Jerry Mac Copeland, 76, passed away on July 13th, 2023 at Bates County Hospital.  Jerry was born August 4th, 1946 to Tom and Jaunita (Thompson) Copeland in Grandview Mo, the last of three children and the only son.

Jerry went to Grandview public schools from 1st grade to graduation.  Jerry did not like school and would rather have been riding his horse to Lee’s Summit with friends or just being outside.  Jerry had a mind for facts like history and current affairs.  He also was a good writer although he would never admit to any of this.  He had a crush on a girl in Band, a flutist named Janet Fox.  He thought her incredibly beautiful and felt she could have any guy in school.  He didn’t know how he lucked out and caught her eye.

They married on April 16, 1965.  Jerry worked many jobs and attended Longview Community College. They had two children, Janette in 1965 and James in 1971.  They lived on Jerry’s parents farm next door to his parents.  The farm was sold and now has become part of Longview Lake.  They bought their first home in Grandview, Missouri.

They moved to Harrisonville in 1975.  Janet got her real estate and broker license.  Jerry was working for the state but also got his licenses.  In 1981, Jerry and Janet decided to open their own real estate office in Harrisonville called Consolidated Realtors.  Jerry focused on commercial and farms while Janet focused on residential.

Anyone that knew Jerry knew that he was a homebody.  He inherited that from his father.  While Jerry was younger, he would travel.  His favorite place was Las Vegas.  However, he also took family trips to Lake Tahoe, Colorado, New York, and even Disney World (once).  Of course,  he only traveled because Janet wanted to.  As Jerry got older he truly wanted to stay close to home.  That was cemented with the purchase of the farm between Butler and Rich Hill.  He was always a farm kid at heart and loved having his own land.

Jerry and Janet moved to the farm that was family land south of Butler, Missouri in 2001.  They previously belonged to the Country Club in Harrisonville and joined the Country Club in Butler.  Jerry enjoyed playing Golf and missed it when he was no longer able.  Jerry loved both Butler and Rich Hill.  He bought the car wash in Rich Hill.  He met a man who worked there named Ernie.  They would become very close friends.

Jerry and Janet loved to hunt and fish.  They spent many hours riding 4 wheelers and their Kubota.  Their grandsons, Will and Jack spent a lot of days down there.  There were a lot of holidays spent at the farm.  Jerry and Janet loved to sit on their screened in porch and watch the hummingbirds and deer. Since it has gotten warm this spring, Jerry would take a picture of Janet out to the porch to sit.  Then he would bring it back in and keep it on a table next to his chair.

Jerry was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and his health was already in decline when Janet passed away.  Jerry tried to stay busy and went to visit her grave frequently.  He also stopped at the car wash and Ernie would prepare a cup of coffee for him.  He had many friends and visitors check on him, and he appreciated it. He still missed Janet and was counting the days until they could be reunited.

Parkinson’s is a cruel and progressive disease.  Parkinson stole Jerry’s appetite.  Over the past year he lost over 60 pounds.  With that went muscle tone, and he grew weaker.  Jerry was a man  of faith and prayed frequently.  He would ask deep questions about right and wrong.  He knew God had a plan and was comforted by that.

The hope was that he could remain at home which was his desire.  Jan would come most Saturdays and spend some weekends when needed.  Jim was flying in and spending several days each month.  His brother-in-law and sister-in-law Nancy and Bob would stop by several times a week.  His niece and nephew Ronnie and Michelle also were a great help and made several visits. He had had nieces that would come a great distance to spend time with him.  Many friends would stop by and help keep an eye on him.  Jan received a call from his very close friend Ernie on Wednesday, July 12th. He had stopped by and was worried about Dad.  He felt that Dad was too weak to stay out there on his own.  He stayed with Dad all day to keep him safe until Jan could get down there.

One look and her and Ernie loaded him up and she took him to the Emergency room.  It was decided that he needed to stay for observation overnight.  Dad called for pain medication at 5:49 a.m. and when the nurse brought it at 6 am he was gone.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents Tom and Jaunita , his sisters Joann and Mary, and brothers-in-law Mel and Dick.  He is survived by his children Jan and Jim, their spouses, Randy and Fabien, grandsons Will and Jackson, Wills spouse Julie, and his great granddaughter Brynn.  He is also survived by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Nancy and many nieces and nephews and spouses including Michelle (and Ronnie) Oliphant of Butler, Gaila (and Craig) Miller, Renee (and Nicky) Nesbitt, Shelly (and David) Kempster, Donald (and Pam) Zurbrick, Lloyd (and Melody) Zurbick, Debbie (and Mike) Walton, Carolyn Tait, Bruce (and Joyce) Patton, Cheryl (and John) Benac,and Jeff (and Amber) Patton.

The family would like to thank everyone that helped make Dad feel less lonely and sad these last six months.  Whether it was taking him to breakfast or lunch, stopping by for a visit, or calling him, he knew people cared about him and it was comforting to him.  We can only imagine the reunion with Janet and so many friends and family.  We imagine they are sitting on a screened in porch in heaven getting reacquainted.

Funeral Service will be at 11:00 am, Saturday, July 22, 2023 at the Heuser Funeral Home in Rich Hill, Missouri.  Burial will follow in the Green Lawn Cemetery.