Dorothy (“Dot”) was born Dec 5, 1929 in Camden, SC and passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, July 11, 2025 at 95 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Charles Copeland, Jr, who passed April 25, 2021.

She is survived by her son, Bryan Copeland (Mary Beth) her daughter, Kathy Williams (Shaughan), six grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren with two more on the way.

Dot grew up in Sumter, SC, where she attended Edmunds High School, class of 1948, and graduated from Limestone College in Gaffney, SC, class of 1952. She married Charles Copeland, Jr, in 1952 and lived in Beaufort, NC while he was stationed at Cherry Point as a Marine. She and Charlie lived in Greenville, SC, Charlotte, NC, and Annandale, VA before settling in Raleigh, NC in 1970. They loved Sunset Beach, NC and it became their second home. They spent over 30 years enjoying time at their beach house there, where they made many special friends.

She was a talented artist and enjoyed painting, particularly beach seascapes. Dot was primarily known to all as a loving and kind wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, friend, and neighbor. She was a great listener, and always there with her warm, gentle smile and an encouraging word. Her greatest enjoyment in life was her family, whom she was grateful to live close to and enjoy relationships with her children and their families.

Earlier in life, Dot was an elementary teacher, and later after the kids were grown, she was a realtor with Nadine Hodge Realty-Hodge & Kittrell. She grew up in the Baptist Church where her parents were very involved, and then attended various Lutheran Churches after she married. Dot had a strong faith in God, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. She had a deep joy, even through the difficulty of aging, and was ready to meet Him.

The family would like to thank the team with Perpetual Home Care for the excellent caregivers and great support they provided to Dot and the family the last several years, as well as the team with Transitions Hospice in her final months.

Dot loved the coast of North Carolina, particularly Sunset Beach and the Bird Island Reserve. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Coastal Federation in memory of Dot would be appreciated. The Bird Island Coastal Reserve | North Carolina Coastal Federation. There is a drop down in the menu to make a donation.