Martha Jane Patterson Copeland passed away surrounded by her family on April 10, 2016. She was born on July 23, 1939, in Pittsburgh, PA to Frank and Gladys Harmon Patterson. Her family moved to Tampa, FL when she was age 9 where she graduated from Plant High School. She attended college at Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, VA with a degree in Biology. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to work in medical research at Cornell Medical School at New York Hospital. She met her future husband, Ted Copeland, who was a medical student at Cornell. They would be married for 52 grateful years. The two moved to Philadelphia for Ted’s medical training and it was there that their two children Edward (Ted) M. Copeland IV and Catherine (Cathy) L. Copeland were born. Following Ted’s residency and a two year stint in the Army, they moved to Houston, TX. The family lived in Houston for 11 years while Ted was on the faculty at MD Anderson Hospital. Martha was consumed with raising her children, playing tennis and doing volunteer work for numerous charities. In 1982, the family moved to Gainesville, Fl., where Ted became the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Florida. Martha was active in the University of Florida Medical Guild and worked in the Shands Hospital gift shop. She was a member of the Azalea Club and served as a two time President. She was a graduate of Leadership Gainesville XVI and active in Republican campaigns. She was appointed to the North Florida Regional Leadership Council by Governor Bob Martinez. She served on the boards of the American Cancer Society and Oak Hall School. Martha was very active in team tennis at the Gainesville Golf and Country Club as well as a member of Trinity United Methodist Church where she served on the Staff-Parish Relations Committee. She loved fishing with her friends and family at their residences in Suwanee, FL. and Amelia Island, FL. Martha’s summers were spent in Highlands, NC at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club where she stayed busy playing tennis, croquet, golf, bridge, clogging and Bible study. Martha had the fortunate opportunity to travel around the world learning about so many different cultures and histories. Her greatest passion was her family and they always came first. Martha is survived by her husband, Edward M. Copeland, III MD, her children, Edward M. Copeland IV and Catherine L. Copeland, her grandchildren, Hunter M. Copeland and Zachary A. Copeland, her brothers Frank and Edward Patterson, and her daughter-in-law, Jennifer Rohr Copeland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Martha Jane Patterson Copeland Ovarian Cancer Research and Patient Support Fund (fund #020487), University of Florida Foundation, PO Box 14425, Gainesville, FL 32604-2425 (www.uff.ufl.edu/appeals/Copeland), or to the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, 51 Children’s Way, Enterprise, FL 32725. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church with Dr. Dan Johnson Officiating. A reception will follow at the Church immediately following the service. There will be burial services at a later date.
