Nancy H. Copeland

Nancy H. Copeland, 78, of Waco, died Saturday, December 10, 2022, in Waco, Texas.

A gathering of family and friends to remember and celebrate her life will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday, January 27, 2023, at Lake Shore Funeral Home Reception Hall. Inurnment of her ashes will be privately held.

Nan was born on January 17, 1944, in Toledo, Ohio, to William Henry and Edna (Burow) Hochstettler. She graduated from Maumee High School in 1962 and attended Bowling Green State University, where she earned a B.A. in sociology and was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. In high school, she was a member of the Masonic organization International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, commonly known as Rainbows, serving as a state officer. During college, she was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

She was married to Dr. William Chad Copeland on December 23, 1967, at First Presbyterian Church in Maumee, Ohio, where she had been a member since childhood. During their marriage they had two sons, Dr. William Todd Copeland, of Waco, and Neil Aaron Copeland, of Axtell. Chad began a practice in general dentistry in Waco in 1971, and Nan was active in the community, serving on the board of Waco YWCA in 1975 and as secretary of Waco Alumnae Panhellenic in 1977. In addition, she worked in real estate and taught writing at 4C Business College in the 1980s.

Nan moved to Arlington in 1990 and worked for the Texas Department of Human Services until her retirement in 2007. She was active with the Arlington chapter of the American Association of University Women. She returned to Waco in 2017 to be closer to her family.

Nan loved spending time with her family and friends, especially over a good meal at one of her favorite restaurants or while doing arts and crafts projects at home. Among her passions in life were sewing, traveling, playing Scrabble, loving her cats, and reading murder mysteries.

Nan was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Judith Crossmier (David) of Tavares, Fla.; and former husband Chad.

She is survived by her sons, Todd (Susan) and Neil (Regan); and four grandchildren. Also surviving are sister, Susan Grigsby (John), of Harrison, AR.; brother, William Hochstettler (Cheri) of Columbus, Ohio, and several nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Place of Service: Lake Shore Funeral Home Reception Center , 5201 Steinbeck Bend; Waco, Texas 76708