James Harley Copeland

The family will receive friends during a visitation on Friday, April 27, 2018 from 4pm to 8pm at Shannon Rufe Snow Funeral Chapel.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 10:30am at Friendship Free Will Baptist Church, located at 4200 McKibben St. in Fort Worth, Texas. Interment will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park.

Harley was born on January 20, 1934 to Andrew and Josephine Copeland in Duncan, Oklahoma. He grew up in a busy home, sharing in many adventures with his many brothers and sisters. He was a very determined man, which was evident even in his younger years when he began his career in the armed forces. He served first in the Army, which he joined at a “slightly younger age” than normal. After serving for two years, he was discharged when it was discovered that he was underage. Once he was of legal age, he began his career in the Air Force, where he served in food service, until his retirement as a Technical Sergeant after 20 years of dedicated service. After his retirement, he continued working in the food service industry. Many of those years were spent at the Northside Griddle, working with his wife, Betty Jane. He had a strong faith and was a dedicated member of his church, where he served for many years as a Deacon. Not one to have idle hands, he kept busy after his retirement from food service by starting a lawn mowing business. He took great pride in taking care of his customers and mowing the lawn at his church, which he continued to do the week before he passed away.

Harley was quite the character, had a quick wit and was known to be a bit stubborn at times. This was evident when he was given a washing machine agitator from the members of his church one Christmas because he was fondly known as “the agitator.”

Harley was a beloved husband, dad and pawpaw, and leaves behind an indelible mark of love in the hearts of his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It didn’t matter if you knew him as James, Harley, Jim, Daddy or PawPaw, he never met a stranger and was loved by all who knew him.

He is preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Meri Jo Hart, four brothers and two sisters.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are his wife of 65 years, Betty Jane Copeland; daughter, Cheryl Kay Chrane and husband, Jack, their children, Selina Kay Chrane and husband, Ronnie Long; Justin Jack Chrane and wife, Shanna Hampton, and their grandchildren, Jackson and Calum Long; daughter, Colleen Grider and husband, Tommy, their children, Danielle Shivers and husband, Lee, Penny Smith and husband Michael, James Grider and wife Kayleen, and Heather White, their grandchildren, Michael Shivers and wife, Kristen, Jake Shivers, Caleb Smith, Miranda Campbell, Brent, Eric, and Ian Grider and Dylan White, and their great grandchildren, Brooke, Jade, Adry, Emory, Duke and Charlotte Shivers; son, J.H. Copeland, and wife, Brandy and their children, Zachary and Tyler; and son, William Copeland and wife, Josephine, their children, Megan Wilhite and husband Ford, Andrew Copeland and wife, Shay, Linsey Jacob and husband, Ben, and Nicholas and Stephen Copeland, their grandchildren, Olivia, Owen, Conrad and Kylie Wilhite, Aiden, Chloe, and Liam Copeland, and Ezra Jacob. He also survived by the children of his late daughter, Meri Jo Hart, her son, Chad Wright and wife, Tamina, and their children, Cody, Teslea and Garrett Wright and her daughter, Amanda Burcham and husband, Bobby, their children, Lindsey, Lauren, and Lacie Burcham. He is also survived by his brothers, Bobby Joe and Tommy Lynn Copeland, and sister, Patricia Jean Pitcock, all of Oklahoma; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorial contributions be made in Harley’s name to the American Cancer Society.