Tom Copeland (original) (raw)
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American politician (born 1924)
| Tom Copeland | |
|---|---|
 Copeland in 1967 |
|
| 35th Speaker of the Washington House of RepresentativesActing | |
| In officeMarch 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 officeJanuary 9, 1967 – January 8, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Avery Garrett |
| Succeeded by | John L. O'Brien |
| Minority Leader of the Washington House of Representatives | |
| In officeJanuary 11, 1965 – January 9, 1967 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel J. Evans |
| Succeeded by | John L. O'Brien |
| Member of the Washington House of Representativesfrom the 11th district | |
| In officeJanuary 14, 1957 – January 8, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Lester L. Robison |
| Succeeded by | A. N. “Bud” Shinpoch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1924-04-17) April 17, 1924 (age 100)Pendleton, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Dolly Doble (died 1970) Donna Edwards (m. 1973) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Washington State University |
Thomas L. Copeland (born April 17, 1924) is an American former politician from Washington.
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 is an alumnus of Washington State University, where he majored in agricultural engineering.
Copeland 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 is 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]
He 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 lives in Arizona.[1] He turned 100 in April 2024.[4]
- ^ 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.