COPLAN, Willis

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ August 28, 2008 Willis Coplan, 77, of Show Low died Sunday, Aug. 24, at RTA Hospice in Lakeside. He was born April 27, 1931, at Burbank, Calif., the son of Earl and Lula (Kay) Coplan. He grew up and attended school in Show Low. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He married the former Gerry Followill on April 2, 1965, in Nogales. He worked as a driver for several companies including C. R. Smith, Shell Oil and Shipley-Phillips. He was a member of the Navajo County Sheriff's Posse, Veterans of Foreign Wars Show Low Post 9907 and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Tonto Basin Chapel. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, cutting wood and story-telling. Survivors include four daughters, Georgia (Bruce) Moore of Polacca, Brenda (Larry) Hampton of Chaparral, N.M., Emily Coplan of Show Low and Jessica (Bobby) Wood of Roswell, N.M.; five sons, Walter Willis (Lynn) Coplan of Lakeside, Cecil (Jackie) Coplan, Michael Coplan of Santa Fe, N.M., Bryan Coplan and Douglas (Dawn) Coplan, both of Show Low; four sisters, Willa Mae Patterson of Tucson, Ruby Webster of St. Augustine, Fla., Cora Lee Donaldson of Show Low and Martha McClain of Alpine; three brothers, Kenneth Coplan of Pine, Chuck Coplan of Springerville and Nolan Coplan of Show Low; 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, sister Bonnie Lou and great-granddaughter Brittany. Services were held Wednesday, Aug. 27, at the Lakeside Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A viewing was held Tuesday at the mortuary and Wednesday at the church. Memorials may be made to the Willis Coplan memorial fund c/o Brenda Hampton, 208-1 Paloma Blanco, Chaparral, NM 88081. Arrangements were under the direction of Black's Mortuary in Show Low. Sign the online guest book or offer private condolences at www.blacksmortuary.com.