Kenneth Malcolm Copeland, 58, of New Braunfels, Texas, passed away Monday, December 4, 2017. He was born on November 26, 1959 in Houma, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, and his family moved to Houston, Texas, in 1971.
Ken was a Police Officer for the San Marcos Police Department and had proudly served the department for almost twenty years.
Ken is survived by his wife, Sheila and their four sons, Nile and Noah, 13-year-old twins, and James and Jonah, 10-year-old twins. He will also be remembered by his brothers, David Copeland, formerly of Katy, Texas, and Robert Copeland of New Braunfels, Texas, and his sister, Jennifer Copeland Hudd and husband Adam of Sugarland, Texas, along with two nephews, Bradley Copeland and Joseph Decker, three nieces, Samantha Hudd, Stephanie Hudd and Alyssa Copeland and his goddaughter, Sophie Fratangelo.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Nile and Theo Copeland.
Ken earned a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture from Sam Houston State University in 1981. He was a member of the Delta Tau Alpha National Agricultural Honor Society and the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
He worked as a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville from 1982-1988, served as corrections officer with Santa Clara County, San Jose, CA 1988-1990, and was Deputy Sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office 1990-1995.
After joining the San Marcos Police Department in March 1998, Officer Copeland took the oath of office on July 29, 1998, where he held a Master Peace Officer certification from TCOLE.
Ken enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on December 8, 1999, and served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the time of his death, Ken was still serving as an active reservist, assigned to Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. As a Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class (ME1), he served as a Law Enforcement Boarding Officer providing port security.
Ken was a rare individual. He touched the lives of everyone he encountered. He treated all people with kindness, compassion, patience, understanding and respect. Ken especially loved children and senior citizens. He would take the time to listen. He knew how to make you feel special. He would light up a room with his smile, which radiated his love of life. He was everyone’s rock. If you needed him, he was there. He was as dependable as the sunrise. His work ethic was beyond reproach. If more people were like him, the world would be a better place.
Ken loved working with children as evidenced by his service to the scouting program. In 2017, he was awarded the San Marcos Police Department Chief's Recognition Award for his work as a den leader for the In-School Scouting Program Pack 35 at Mendez Elementary School in San Marcos.
His love, or more aptly described, addiction to Topo Chico mineral water is well-known among his friends and family, along with his habit of keeping an iced cooler of Topo in the backseat of his patrol car to hand out to anyone he came in contact with during his shift. Ken's smile, friendship and selfless service to his family and community will be missed by those who knew and loved him. Even many citizens who did not always see eye to eye with police officers loved Ken – he was just that kind of person.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Dec. 10, 2017
Ken was a Police Officer for the San Marcos Police Department and had proudly served the department for almost twenty years.
Ken is survived by his wife, Sheila and their four sons, Nile and Noah, 13-year-old twins, and James and Jonah, 10-year-old twins. He will also be remembered by his brothers, David Copeland, formerly of Katy, Texas, and Robert Copeland of New Braunfels, Texas, and his sister, Jennifer Copeland Hudd and husband Adam of Sugarland, Texas, along with two nephews, Bradley Copeland and Joseph Decker, three nieces, Samantha Hudd, Stephanie Hudd and Alyssa Copeland and his goddaughter, Sophie Fratangelo.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Nile and Theo Copeland.
Ken earned a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture from Sam Houston State University in 1981. He was a member of the Delta Tau Alpha National Agricultural Honor Society and the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
He worked as a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville from 1982-1988, served as corrections officer with Santa Clara County, San Jose, CA 1988-1990, and was Deputy Sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office 1990-1995.
After joining the San Marcos Police Department in March 1998, Officer Copeland took the oath of office on July 29, 1998, where he held a Master Peace Officer certification from TCOLE.
Ken enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on December 8, 1999, and served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the time of his death, Ken was still serving as an active reservist, assigned to Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. As a Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class (ME1), he served as a Law Enforcement Boarding Officer providing port security.
Ken was a rare individual. He touched the lives of everyone he encountered. He treated all people with kindness, compassion, patience, understanding and respect. Ken especially loved children and senior citizens. He would take the time to listen. He knew how to make you feel special. He would light up a room with his smile, which radiated his love of life. He was everyone’s rock. If you needed him, he was there. He was as dependable as the sunrise. His work ethic was beyond reproach. If more people were like him, the world would be a better place.
Ken loved working with children as evidenced by his service to the scouting program. In 2017, he was awarded the San Marcos Police Department Chief's Recognition Award for his work as a den leader for the In-School Scouting Program Pack 35 at Mendez Elementary School in San Marcos.
His love, or more aptly described, addiction to Topo Chico mineral water is well-known among his friends and family, along with his habit of keeping an iced cooler of Topo in the backseat of his patrol car to hand out to anyone he came in contact with during his shift. Ken's smile, friendship and selfless service to his family and community will be missed by those who knew and loved him. Even many citizens who did not always see eye to eye with police officers loved Ken – he was just that kind of person.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Dec. 10, 2017
Kenneth Malcolm Copeland, 58, of New Braunfels, Texas, passed away Monday, December 4, 2017. He was born on November 26, 1959 in Houma, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, and his family moved to Houston, Texas, in 1971.
Ken was a Police Officer for the San Marcos Police Department and had proudly served the department for almost twenty years.
Ken is survived by his wife, Sheila and their four sons, Nile and Noah, 13-year-old twins, and James and Jonah, 10-year-old twins. He will also be remembered by his brothers, David Copeland, formerly of Katy, Texas, and Robert Copeland of New Braunfels, Texas, and his sister, Jennifer Copeland Hudd and husband Adam of Sugarland, Texas, along with two nephews, Bradley Copeland and Joseph Decker, three nieces, Samantha Hudd, Stephanie Hudd and Alyssa Copeland and his goddaughter, Sophie Fratangelo.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Nile and Theo Copeland.
Ken earned a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture from Sam Houston State University in 1981. He was a member of the Delta Tau Alpha National Agricultural Honor Society and the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
He worked as a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville from 1982-1988, served as corrections officer with Santa Clara County, San Jose, CA 1988-1990, and was Deputy Sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office 1990-1995.
After joining the San Marcos Police Department in March 1998, Officer Copeland took the oath of office on July 29, 1998, where he held a Master Peace Officer certification from TCOLE.
Ken enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on December 8, 1999, and served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the time of his death, Ken was still serving as an active reservist, assigned to Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. As a Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class (ME1), he served as a Law Enforcement Boarding Officer providing port security.
Ken was a rare individual. He touched the lives of everyone he encountered. He treated all people with kindness, compassion, patience, understanding and respect. Ken especially loved children and senior citizens. He would take the time to listen. He knew how to make you feel special. He would light up a room with his smile, which radiated his love of life. He was everyone’s rock. If you needed him, he was there. He was as dependable as the sunrise. His work ethic was beyond reproach. If more people were like him, the world would be a better place.
Ken loved working with children as evidenced by his service to the scouting program. In 2017, he was awarded the San Marcos Police Department Chief's Recognition Award for his work as a den leader for the In-School Scouting Program Pack 35 at Mendez Elementary School in San Marcos.
His love, or more aptly described, addiction to Topo Chico mineral water is well-known among his friends and family, along with his habit of keeping an iced cooler of Topo in the backseat of his patrol car to hand out to anyone he came in contact with during his shift. Ken's smile, friendship and selfless service to his family and community will be missed by those who knew and loved him. Even many citizens who did not always see eye to eye with police officers loved Ken – he was just that kind of person.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Dec. 10, 2017
Ken was a Police Officer for the San Marcos Police Department and had proudly served the department for almost twenty years.
Ken is survived by his wife, Sheila and their four sons, Nile and Noah, 13-year-old twins, and James and Jonah, 10-year-old twins. He will also be remembered by his brothers, David Copeland, formerly of Katy, Texas, and Robert Copeland of New Braunfels, Texas, and his sister, Jennifer Copeland Hudd and husband Adam of Sugarland, Texas, along with two nephews, Bradley Copeland and Joseph Decker, three nieces, Samantha Hudd, Stephanie Hudd and Alyssa Copeland and his goddaughter, Sophie Fratangelo.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Nile and Theo Copeland.
Ken earned a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture from Sam Houston State University in 1981. He was a member of the Delta Tau Alpha National Agricultural Honor Society and the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
He worked as a corrections officer with the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville from 1982-1988, served as corrections officer with Santa Clara County, San Jose, CA 1988-1990, and was Deputy Sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office 1990-1995.
After joining the San Marcos Police Department in March 1998, Officer Copeland took the oath of office on July 29, 1998, where he held a Master Peace Officer certification from TCOLE.
Ken enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on December 8, 1999, and served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the time of his death, Ken was still serving as an active reservist, assigned to Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. As a Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class (ME1), he served as a Law Enforcement Boarding Officer providing port security.
Ken was a rare individual. He touched the lives of everyone he encountered. He treated all people with kindness, compassion, patience, understanding and respect. Ken especially loved children and senior citizens. He would take the time to listen. He knew how to make you feel special. He would light up a room with his smile, which radiated his love of life. He was everyone’s rock. If you needed him, he was there. He was as dependable as the sunrise. His work ethic was beyond reproach. If more people were like him, the world would be a better place.
Ken loved working with children as evidenced by his service to the scouting program. In 2017, he was awarded the San Marcos Police Department Chief's Recognition Award for his work as a den leader for the In-School Scouting Program Pack 35 at Mendez Elementary School in San Marcos.
His love, or more aptly described, addiction to Topo Chico mineral water is well-known among his friends and family, along with his habit of keeping an iced cooler of Topo in the backseat of his patrol car to hand out to anyone he came in contact with during his shift. Ken's smile, friendship and selfless service to his family and community will be missed by those who knew and loved him. Even many citizens who did not always see eye to eye with police officers loved Ken – he was just that kind of person.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Dec. 10, 2017
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