Donald Franklin Copenhaver

HIS FINAL BATTLE WITH MULTIPLE HEALTH ISSUES, WHICH IMPACTED THE LAST COUPLE DECADES OF HIS LIFE. HE WAS A SURVIVOR OF A DOUBLE LUNG TRANSPLANT PERFORMED AT UMD HOSPITAL.

BORN DECEMBER 31, 1953, HE WAS THE OLDEST SON OF MARIE AND BENJAMIN COPENHAVER (BOTH DECEASED). DONALD ATTENDED ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL, GRADUATING FROM MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL IN THE TOP TEN OF HIS 1972 CLASS. BESIDES ACADEMIC SUCCESS, HE ENJOYED SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE US NAVAL ACADEMY IN ANNAPOLIS, MD., WHERE HE COMPLETED TWO MORE YEARS OF EDUCATION. HE ATTAINED THE FIRST EVER REGENT’S BACHELOR DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AT SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY IN 1976.

DONALD RELUCTANTLY LEAVES HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, UNRELENTING CHAMPION AND WIFE OF FORTY-SEVEN YEARS, CAROL BURKHART COPENHAVER. HE WAS OVERJOYED WHEN THEIR FAMILY GREW TO INCLUDE THREE BELOVED CHILDREN: BENJAMIN (CHRYSTAL), ANDREW COPENHAVER AND LAURA SHADE. HE WAS A LOVING AND INVOLVED GRANDFATHER TO TEN GRANDCHILDREN: AVERY COPENHAVER, TYLER AND ALAYNA SHADE; NOLAN, EMMALYN, BRIELYN, KAELYN, RYLAN AND GRACELYN COPENHAVER. DONALD BASKED IN BEING A LOVING AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED PAPPAP. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY ONE SISTER, CINDY SAYLOR (GLEN), AND THREE BROTHERS: DAVID, DANIEL (TAMMY), AND BRIAN (LAURIE). DONALD WAS CLOSE TO SISTERS-IN-LAW CHARLENE (JOHN) RINER AND MARY BURKHART AS WELL AS BROTHER-IN-LAW, C.T. BURKHART. UNCLE DONALD WILL BE MISSED BY HIS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

HE WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS PARENTS, NEPHEW BRADLEY SAYLOR, GRANDDAUGHTER MADILYN COPENHAVER, SISTER-IN-LAW JUDY COPENHAVER, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW GEORGINA COPENHAVER AND HIS WIFE'S PARENTS, CHARLES AND EVELYN BURKHART.

BESIDES HIS DEVOTION TO FAMILY, DONALD WAS A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH, WHERE HE WAS A LECTOR AT MASS AND A MEMBER OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 4TH DEGREE KNIGHT.

DONALD'S PRIMARY EMPLOYERS WERE CAPITAL CEMENT AND CERTAINTEED WHERE HE WAS A DEDICATED SUPERVISOR AT BOTH LOCATIONS. DONALD WAS AN EXTREMELY HARD WORKER, WHILE ALSO BEING THE LIFE OF THE PARTY LIGHTING UP EVERY ROOM HE ENTERED. EVER OUTGOING AND CONGENIAL, HE KNEW NO STRANGERS.

AS ATHLETIC AS THEY COME, “COPE” HIT THE FIRST GRAND SLAM AT OATESDALE PARK IN 1965. HE GREW UP ACQUIRING A PASSION FOR COACHING BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, AND SOFTBALL.

ALWAYS WITH A SMILE TO GIVE AND A JOKE TO TELL, DONALD TOUCHED MANY LIVES DURING HIS JOURNEY. HE WAS AN AVID HUNTER AND FISHERMAN AND ASIDE FROM SPENDING TIME WITH HIS FAMILY, HE FELT MOST AT PEACE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS, WHERE HE FREQUENTLY EXPRESSED A PROFOUND CONNECTION WITH HIS FATHER.

BECAUSE A FAMILY WAS UNSELFISH AND GENEROUS, DONALD'S LIFE WAS EXTENDED FOR FIVE YEARS. GRANDDAUGHTER MADILYN'S DONATION SAVED TWO LIVES. THE COPENHAVER FAMILY SUGGESTS THAT OTHERS MAY WISH TO CONSIDER OFFERING THE GIFT OF LIFE.

IN DONALD'S MEMORY, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL, 110 E. STEPHEN ST., MARTINSBURG 25401; OR

TO HOSPICE OF THE PANHANDLE, 330 HOSPICE LANE, KEARNEYSVILLE 25430

FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL BE RECEIVED ON MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 FROM 4PM-8PM AT ROSEDALE FUNERAL HOME. FUNERAL MASS WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2022 AT 1:30PM AT ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH. INTERMENT WILL FOLLOW IN ROSEDALE CEMETERY.

CONDOLENCES CAN BE SENT TO WWW.ROSEDALEFUNERAL.COM