COPELAND, Heather
Heather passed away peacefully at Joseph Brant hospital on January 15, 2017 at the age of 81. She was the devoted wife of Bill for 57 years, the beloved and much admired mother of Marla (David) Larock of Toronto and Camilla Copeland of Aurora, the proud grandmother of Ciara, Annika, Charles and Benjamin, and the loving sister-in-law of Catherine Attridge and aunt of Sarah Attridge.
Heather was born in New York City and grew up an only child in small towns outside of Brockville and London. She was strong and independent, traits that characterized the women of her family. She graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1956 with a Bachelors of Arts degree, and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. After receiving her teaching certification from the Ontario College of Education she taught high school in Exeter, Windsor and Dundas before devoting herself to raising her daughters in Burlington.
Heather lived in Burlington for almost 50 years, during which time she was a very active member of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW). There she met lifetime friends whose company she cherished. She loved to learn and had many interests ranging from politics to the arts. She participated in a wide range of discussion groups including those for theatre, literature, comparative religion, the environment, French, travel, and art appreciation, and she convened many of those groups. A past president, she enjoyed being part of CFUW advocacy groups and wrote several resolutions on topics important to her including the status of women and the environment. In later years she was also active in Probus and the Arts and Letters Club.
A theatre enthusiast, she loved local amateur as well as professional theatre and enjoyed annual trips to Stratford and the Shaw Festival with friends, as well as mother daughter theatre weekends in New York City. She was a voracious reader, often participating in multiple book clubs and local book and author sessions. She enjoyed attending the symphony and opera and looked forward to get-togethers with long-time friends in the ‘lunch bunch’. She loved conversation and delighted in striking up meaningful interactions with friends or strangers.
Above everything else, her life was defined by the unconditional love and support she gave to family and friends. Heather will be remembered for her beautiful heart, her lively intellect, her kindness and her compassion.
A Funeral Service will be held at SMITH’S FUNERAL HOME, 485 Brant Street (one block North of City Hall), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. followed by a reception. A private family interment will he held on Monday, January 23. In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for acts of kindness in Heather’s memory.