John Edward Coppens

John was born in Chicago, Illinois to John Henry Coppens and Mary Catherine Gallagher Coppens on December 15, 1944. His father, a decorated officer in the Coast Guard, moved the family to different postings along the Great Lakes, but John spent much of his formative youth in Charlevoix, Michigan, a city he grew to love and to which he would return during the summers of his retirement years. John graduated from high school in Riviera Beach, Florida (where he would hone his impressive skin-diving skills) before returning to Michigan for college, completing a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Escaping the cold winters of his Upper Peninsula college town, John packed his green Ford Fairlane fastback and drove to Houston in 1968. He started his career in the booming pipeline and infrastructure development industry at Trunkline Gas, where he would soon meet the love of his life, Jackie. John, a pipeline engineer to begin his noteworthy career, excelled in his field, designing offshore gathering systems and managing LNG terminal construction projects. He earned an MBA at the University of Houston, all while raising his four children, and finished his career as a risk management executive at Duke Energy, navigating pipeline deregulation and playing a key role in the formation of exchange-traded natural gas futures.

Not just a professional success, John was a consummate family man, a loving and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, brother and son. A conversation with John was sure to involve a proud description of a child or grandchild’s accomplishments or an entertaining story about his childhood shenanigans. He was quick with sympathy, ready with sage advice, and provided a fine example to live by for those with the wisdom to take notice. A reserved and quiet man, John had a quick wit and wicked sense of humor that would keep his family laughing until his last breath.

John was an avid golfer and loved to hit the links at Sweetwater Country Club where he made life-long friends and won the coveted President’s Senior Cup in 2015. He was admired, respected, and well-liked by all who knew him.

John is survived by his wife of almost 53 years, Jackie Coppens; children Suzanne (John) Fleishman, John S. (Kim) Coppens, Michael Coppens, Erin (Brian) Kellar; grandchildren Sarah, Jack and Luke Fleishman, Beau Kellar, Ashley (Derek) Toliver, Justin Connell; great grandchildren Ethan Connell and Robert Toliver. Sisters Suzanne Coppens-Carlson, Marianne Coppens and Cheryl Chism as well as numerous cousins, other family members and close friends.

A funeral mass for John will be held Monday, February 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM at St Laurence Catholic Church, 3100 Sweetwater Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77479.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the ‘Mt. McSauba Improvement Fund’ in our father’s name. Mt. McSauba was one of his happiest places since childhood. Please use direct link provided

https://charlevoix.recdesk.com/Community/Program?category=8

or you may mail checks to:

City of Charlevoix, 210 State Street, Charlevoix, Michigan 49720 and designate the gift in the notes section ‘Mt. McSauba Improvement Fund’ in honor of John Edward Coppens

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.settegastkopf.com for the Coppens family.