Don Coppedge

Visitation:
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
6:00 PM until 8:00 PM

Wayne Boze Funeral Home
1826 W. Hwy. 287 Bus.
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Service:
Thursday, November 11, 2004
10:00 AM

Pat Boze Memorial Chapel
1826 W. Hwy. 287 Business
Waxahachie, TX 75165


Don Coppedge, age 73
May 29, 1931
November 8, 2004

Don Coppedge, former publisher of the Waxahachie Daily Light, passed away at his residence in Waxahachie on Monday, Nov. 8, 2004. Mr. Coppedge was born on May 29, 1931, in Hollywood, CA to Charles Martin and Loraine (Fultz) Coppedge. He was married to Bettye Crawford. He was a member of the St. Paul Episcopal Church. He was a graduate of Tulsa Central High School, attended Oklahoma State University and graduated in 1956 from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. A US Army veteran of the Korean Conflict, Coppedge served with the Army Adjutant General Corps in Japan. In 1962, Coppedge was press aide for John Connally in his first race for governor of Texas.
Mr. Coppedge became publisher of the Waxahachie Daily Light in the early 1960s. While in Waxahachie, he was involved in various civic activities. He was president of the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Booster Club, chairman of the Waxahachie Park Board, director of the Community Chest United Fund, Family Welfare Association of Waxahachie and Ellis County Museum and Art Gallery. He organized and taught junior high school tennis teams and served as varsity program advisor for six years. He also taught summer tennis classes for the YMCA and was a member of the U.S. Professional Tennis Association.
In 1968, he served as president of the North and East Texas Press Association and was elected president of the Texas Press Association in 1972. He was appointed to the Brazos River Authority in 1967 by Gov. John Connally and reappointed in 1973 by Gov. Dolph Briscoe. He was also chairman of the agency's water quality committee for four years.
Mr. Coppedge became publisher of the Miami, OK News-Herald after the retirement of A. Murray Bratcher. In Miami, Mr. Coppedge was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, NEO Booster Club and Rotary Club. He was also a member of the board of directors for the Miami Area Economic Development Service.
He is survived by his wife, Bettye Coppedge of Waxahachie; a son, Derek Coppedge of Topeka, KS; two daughters, D'On Hensley of Waxahachie, Denise Coppedge of Marble Falls; a brother, Charles Coppedge of Tulsa, OK; a sister and her husband, Lou and Bill Anderson of Tulsa, OK; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Dana Coppedge in 1969.
The family will receive friends and relatives from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Wayne Boze Funeral Home. The Celebration of Life will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in the Pat Boze Memorial Chapel of the funeral home. Interment will be at 2:30 p.m. in the Sanger Cemetery in Sanger, TX.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2910 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, TX 75204.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Wayne Boze Funeral Home.
www.waynebozefuneralhome.com