Thomas Rupert Coppedge Jr., 81, of Mechanicsville, went to be with his Heavenly Father on November 5, 2021.
He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Freda Coppedge; nephew, Everett Jones; and brother-in-law, Waverly Jones.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 57 years, Mary Sue; his daughter and son-in-law, Blair and Luke Gipson; his son and daughter-in-law Chris and Amy Coppedge; seven grandchildren, Mary Grace, David, Hope, Madelynn and Nathaniel Coppedge, and Jack and Elyse Wells, all of Mechanicsville.
In recent years, he happily welcomed into the family seven step-grandchildren, Lexi, Kallie and Crew Gipson, and Braden, Britt, Brooks and Berkley Adams, and boasted he now had 14 grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Katherine Jones of Warsaw; a niece and her husband, Bonnie and Bill Revere of Edwardsville; a nephew and his wife, Glenn and Carrie Jones of Elizabeth City, N.C.; brother-in-law and his wife, George and Doris Rew of Burgess; and sister-in-law and her husband, Faye and J.R. Hall, of Reedville.
Tom was born on October 24, 1940. He spent his boyhood and youth on the family dairy farm in Lilian. He graduated from Northumberland High School and joined the Navy for a brief time.
After being honorably discharged, he then returned home and attended Smithdeal Massey Business College. His working career was in the electronics field, retiring from Robertshaw Controls in 1990.
He was an avid UVA basketball fan, an accomplished woodworker and a talented pen-and-ink artist. He was a founding member of the Hanover Art League and for many years he was a contributing artist for the Hanover calendar which featured historic homes in Hanover County.
Tom had a great love of music, having played drums for his high school band, and for several local bands in his teenage years.
He was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather and truly a friend to all.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, November 11, at Bennett Funeral Home, Mechanicsville. After a private interment, a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, November 12, at Fairport Baptist Church, 2395 Fairport Road, Reedville.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tom’s memory to Alpha House, 809 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA 23005, Attn: Kathy.
