James A. Copley

 James Allen Copley passed away, surrounded by his family, at the Jackson Good Samaritan Center on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at the age of 70 years, four months, and two days.
 James Allen Copley, the son of Lawrence and Margaret (Van Horst) Copley, was born on March 28, 1944, in Los Angeles, Calif.  Shortly after his birth, Jim and his family moved to Clear Lake, where Jim graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1962.  Upon graduation Jim attended N.I.A.C.C. for one year.  After attending college, Jim worked part time for the Clear Lake Police Department, patrolling the beaches.  

 On June 27, 1969, Jim was united in marriage to Sharon Kappmeyer, at Zion Lutheran Church, in Clear Lake.  In 1976, after being recruited by Ag-Chem, Jim and his family moved to Jackson, Minn.  Jim worked at Ag-Chem for the next 12 years, leaving in 1988, at which time he became a “traveling” manufacturing manager; working from Brandon, S.D. to Chicago, Ill., and anywhere in-between.  Jim retired in 2002, enabling him to spend time with the family he loved so much.  In December 2013, Jim started having difficulties with his health.  
 Jim was an avid outdoorsman, who loved to hunt, fish, and attend sporting events.  Jim truly loved baseball, whether it was following the JHS Bluejays, JCC Huskies, Jackson Bulls or the Minnesota Twins, it was his absolute favorite sport.  He had a strong sense of faith, doing all of his communing with the Lord in the sanctuary of the outdoors.  At 57 years old, Jim was baptized into the Our Savior’s Lutheran Community.  
 Jim loved his family.  To him there was nothing more important.  Jim and his family took many trips to the Twin Cities, mostly centered on sporting events, such as Twins, Vikings and NorthStar games.    Upon becoming a grandfather, Jim felt he was too young to be called grandpa, and the name “Pa”, which came from his first grandson, stuck, becoming a term of endearment for not only his grandchildren, but for his children as well.  
 Jim is survived by his wife of 45 years, Sharonl his two children, Nikki Copley, of Jackson, and Dan (Sadie) Copley, of Grand Meadow, Minn.; three grandsons, Zach, Drew, and Dustin; two sisters, Lorna (Bill) Schutz, of Mason City, Iowa, and Robbie; his brother, Herb (Lori) Copley, of Clear Lake; his mother-in-law, Elaine Kappmeyer, of Clear Lake; three brothers-in-law, Allan (JoAnn), Lynn, both of Clear Lake and Brian, of St. Louis, Mo.; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
 Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Fred; and his father-in-law, Harold Kappmeyer.