Tom Copeland
Tom Copeland | |
|---|---|
Copeland in 1967 | |
| 35th Speaker of the Washington House of Representatives Acting | |
| In office March 12, 1970 – January 11, 1971 | |
| Preceded by | Don Eldridge |
| Succeeded by | Thomas A. Swayze Jr. |
| Speaker pro tempore of the Washington House of Representatives | |
| In office January 9, 1967 – January 8, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Avery Garrett |
| Succeeded by | John L. O'Brien |
| Minority Leader of the Washington House of Representatives | |
| In office January 11, 1965 – January 9, 1967 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel J. Evans |
| Succeeded by | John L. O'Brien |
| Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 11th district | |
| In office January 14, 1957 – January 8, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Lester L. Robison |
| Succeeded by | A. N. “Bud” Shinpoch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 17, 1924 Pendleton, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | December 8, 2025 (aged 101) |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Dolly Doble (died 1970)Donna Edwards (m. 1973) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Washington State University |
Thomas Lenox Copeland (April 17, 1924 – December 8, 2025) was an American politician from Washington.
Life and career
Copeland was born in Pendleton, Oregon on April 17, 1924, to Edwin and Delia Copeland. He served in the United States Army during World War II, serving in Europe as a tank destroyer commander. After the conclusion of the war, he stayed with the Army as an administrator and was eventually promoted to captain.[1] He was an alumnus of Washington State University, where he majored in agricultural engineering.
He was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1957, for District 11, which encompassed the counties of Asotin, Columbia, Garfield and parts of Walla Walla. He was a Republican. He served until 1972; during his time he served stints as Whip (1961, 1963), Minority Leader (1965), and Speaker pro tempore (1967–1972).[2] In 1972, he retired to run for the Washington State Senate, however he was unsuccessful in his election, later opting to retire from politics.[3]
Copeland was married to Dolly Doble, whom he met at college, until her death in 1970. They had three children. In 1973, he married Donna Edwards; the couple lived in Arizona.[1] He turned 100 in April 2024,[4] and died on December 8, 2025, at the age of 101.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Thomas L. "Tom" Copeland - State Representative". Washington Secretary of State.
- ^ "State of Washington Members of the Legislature, 1889 – 2011" (PDF). Washington State Legislature. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 20, 2022.
- ^ Kilgannon, Anne (2007). "Thomas L. Copeland, An Oral History" (PDF). Washington State Legislature.
- ^ Simchuk, Kyle (April 22, 2024). "'This is a much better birthday': Arizona veteran who spent 21st birthday fighting in WWII celebrates turning 100". 12 News. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
- ^ "Thomas Lenox Copeland". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 24, 2026.