Joseph L. Copenhaver 1945-2008
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GREENVILLE, Pa. - Joseph L. Copenhaver, 62, 111 Columbia Ave., passed away at 2:18 a.m. Wednesday, July 9, 2008, at the UPMC Horizon, Greenville, following a 10-month battle with cancer.
He was born Nov. 18, 1945, in Canvas, W.Va., a son of the late Joseph Harvey and Margaret Ellen Groves Copenhaver.
On March 5, 1983, he married the former Carol ''Kay'' Boyd Witt, who survives. He was a member of the Fredonia Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Copenhaver had graduated in 1965 from the former Pymatuning Joint High School, where he had wrestled for five years. During his senior year under Coach Bob Moore, he had been the wrestling team captain and achieved a team record of 10-4 and an individual accomplishment record of 13-1.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served during the Vietnam War, during which time he had attended and graduated from a naval school in Memphis, Tenn., specializing in electronic aviation communication and radio with the rank of VAH-10. During his tenure in the Navy, he had served on the John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier on its first Mediterranean cruise, having met up with the ship in Guatanamo Bay, Cuba, having turned 21 years of age while traveling en route to the ship.
Following his Naval service, Mr. Copenhaver worked for Boeing Aircraft in Washington state following which he had returned to Jamestown, Pa., where he resumed his career at the former Greenville Steel Car, where he continued to be employed for 17 years as an Industrial Electrician. Mr. Copenhaver subsequently went onto work at the Hodge Foundry, Greenville, for 19 1/2 years as an electrician in the Maintenance Department.
An avid outdoorsman, Joe loved to hunt, including his having made several trips to Canada hunting for moose. But his greatest passion was that of fishing. He was well known for his many fish frys for various groups through the years, including the residents of the Ridgewood at St. Paul's Home and various family reunions.
In addition to his wife of 25 years, he is survived by a stepson, Shawn Witt and his wife, Kim, of Otwell, Ind.; two stepdaughters, Michelle Kirk and her husband, Dan, of Pittsburgh and Angela Witt of Pittsburgh; three grandchildren, Becca Kirk, Brian Kirk and Bethany Kirk of Pittsburgh; three sisters, Norma Dameron and her husband, Charles, of Summerville, W.Va., Betty Ashe and her husband, Don, of Geneva, Fla., and Linda Donner and her husband, Darrell, of DeLand, Fla.; two brothers, Eugene Copenhaver and his wife, Pat, of Kissimmee, Fla., and John Copenhaver and his wife, Mary, of Cortland; sister-in-law, Debbie McConnell and her husband, Larry, of Hadley; and a brother-in-law, Ronald Boyd and his wife, Marjorie, of Fredonia; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his mother and father-in-law, Christabel ''Chris'' and Clair L. Boyd; and his youngest brother, Roger Dean Copenhaver.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at the Fredonia Presbyterian Church, Water Street, Fredonia, with the Rev. Eric Peters, pastor of the church officiating. Interment with military honors accorded by the Military Honor Guard of the Jamestown Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5424 will follow at the Millbank Cemetery.
Friends may call 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Robert L. Snyder Funeral Home, Ltd. 169 Second St., Fredonia, and 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.
Condolences may be posted online at www.rlsfh.com.
The family has suggested that memorial tributes may be made to the Greenville Relay for Life, in care of Linda Pinney, 25 Lebanon Ave., Greenville, Pa. 16125.
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