Anthony Copeland

Anthony Wayne Copeland, son of the late Glen Allen and Audrey Louise (Riley) Copeland, was born October 9, 1949, in Joplin, Missouri. He passed away on September 18, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, due to multiple health complications. He was 75 years of age.

Anthony’s family lived in rural Seneca, Missouri, when he was born. He lived in Seneca for 2 ½ years, doing the typical things that a one to three-year-old would do on a farm, such as chasing cats and feeding chickens. He also pestered his two older brothers. Anthony acquired a younger brother to look after on February 11, 1951. Then, in February of 1952, Anthony Wayne Copeland appeared in the Mansfield, Missouri, scene. Anthony stayed secluded with his family in Possum Holler, making an occasional trip to Mansfield until he started grade school in Mansfield.

This story is being told by his older brother, who didn’t take the time to peer into Anthony’s school life. So, Anthony attempted to be a hunter. The occasion happened when Anthony, his dad, and his three brothers followed a mouse across the living room. Thinking the mouse had sought refuge in the couch, the couch was moved away from the wall, pillows tossed, and the couch was turned upside down. No mouse. When the three brothers and Dad (with broom in hand) turned and observed Anthony, they knew the hunt was over. Anthony (about 8 years old) had his mouth open, eyes wide, and his hand grasped his pants just below the crotch. He had to shed his pants to retrieve the mouse. I tell this story for you, Anthony Wayne, Jr., that you may become a big hunter in your day and time.

We all have stories about our siblings. At some we were present and others are hearsay. This is one of those. The date and time are unknown, probably to protect the guilty. Not being a hunter, Anthony decided to try being a chemist. We must include the chemistry part because brewing alcohol is illegal. He found an empty fruit jar, put in product, which was probably fruit juice and sugar, sealed the jar, and put it away to ferment, not thinking that setting it by the furnace might be a bad place. His pharmaceutical career exploded. However, maybe he was an early terrorist, building bombs.

Anthony graduated from Mansfield High School in 1968. He joined the United States Air Force and served from November 1968 through October 1970. They could have sent him to Northern Alaska, but instead sent him to Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1969. He was discharged in San Francisco, California, and went back to Hawaii, where he lived between Honolulu and Maui. Anthony worked for a security guard company and later was an in-charge executive housekeeper for a luxury vacation resort in Honolulu. Later on, he was like that guy we saw on TV, “Time to make the donuts.” Anthony was also a fishmonger, purchasing catfish from New Orleans and selling them to restaurants in Honolulu. Out of the 54 years he lived in Hawaii, for 30+ years, he sold automobiles in Honolulu and transferred to Maui with a major car dealership, selling Hyundai. In 2005 and 2006, he was the top salesman of the year.

About ten years ago, Anthony met Juvy. After falling in love with her and the Philippine culture, God blessed them with ten years of marriage and an energetic 2 ½ year old son, named Anthony Wayne, Jr.

Besides his parents, Anthony was preceded in death by one brother, Allen Glen Copeland, and one sister, Juanice (Copeland) Rimbey.

He is survived by his wife, Juvy Copeland, and his son, the joy of his life, Anthony Wayne Copeland, Jr, both of the home in Ozark, Missouri; three brothers, Darrell (Janet) Copeland of Springfield, Missouri, Kurt (Sue) Copeland of Wallace, Idaho, and Steve (Jacquelyn) Copeland of Mansfield, Missouri; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.