Robert E. Copeland Jr. was born in Charleston, WV on May 10, 1947 to Robert and Mamie (nee Conger) Copeland. “Copie,” later “Cope,” later still “Bob,” “Doc Bob,” and ultimately “Grandy Bob,” would grow up alongside his big sister, Mary, in Alderson, WV.  On growing up in Alderson, he said it was “pretty much perfect.”

As a child Bob attended Old Greenbrier Baptist and received Christ as his personal Lord and Savior when he was 12 years old. His faith and his love for fellow man would remain a guiding light all his life.

Bob was a proud graduate of Alderson High School Class of 1965 where he excelled as a scholar athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. He later found his favorite sport, golf, which he enjoyed up until his passing.

Bob enrolled in ROTC to help mitigate college expenses when he matriculated to West Virginia University, where he joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and most importantly, met the love of his life, Sharol (nee Dikeman). Bob majored in Pharmacy and graduated in 1971. Later that summer, Bob and Sharol married and settled in Northern Virginia, where he began to practice Pharmacy. In December of 1971 he went to basic training in San Antonio, TX for three months and served as an Army reservist for the next 10 years, earning the rank of Captain. He also became a devoted member of McLean Bible Church, which his in-laws founded alongside four other families in 1961.

Bob was active in a variety of different ministries: as a Sunday school teacher, a member of the teller ministry, and a member of the men’s Community Bible Study group. He also enjoyed playing softball and basketball with various men’s groups at McLean Bible. 

In 1973, Bob enrolled at Howard University School of Dentistry where he quickly met his best friend and study partner, Marv. He continued to practice Pharmacy in the evenings, attend dental classes during the day, and study overnight and on the weekends, while regularly earning Dean’s List honors. In 1975, he added a new title to his resume: father, when he and Sharol welcomed their firstborn daughter, Kimberly.  In 1978, they welcomed his namesake and son, Robert Estel Copeland, lll. Bob was always immensely proud of his family—they were his pride and joy.

Bob graduated with his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) in 1977, with a subsequent fellowship the following year with the Veteran’s Association, and began to practice General Dentistry in Arlington, VA, where he shared a building with his orthodontist father-in-law and dentist brother-in-law. He used his dental skills as his vocation and ministry for the next 40+ years, helping members within the church and within the broader community as a proud lifetime member of the Northern Virginia Dental Society. He used to joke that he liked to talk about the two things a dentist should never discuss: politics and religion, which he enjoyed discussing and debating immensely, usually with a good-natured wink thrown in alongside some of his jokes.

In 2002, Bob added another title to his résumé, grandfather, or “Grandy Bob,” when the first of his seven grandchildren was born. He began to think more deeply about his legacy after becoming a grandfather and felt led to run for Fairfax County Public School Board in 2015 to leave the world better for his grandchildren and their future children. While he didn’t win the election, he gained great fortitude and found deep camaraderie and community in the process.

Two months after the school board election, Bob was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which he bravely battled for the next nine years. He never complained, even while enduring a bone marrow transplant and numerous treatments and hospital stays over the subsequent years.

In 2019, he retired from practicing General Dentistry and became an even more engaged citizen and grandfather, serving his family and his community in a variety of ways. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife, extended family and friends.

On March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, Bob valiantly finished his earthly race, but his legacy of good humor, intelligence, wit, decency, determination, fortitude, love of God and love of fellow man will live on.

Bob is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sharol, his daughter, Kim (Steve),  grandchildren: Madelyn, Bennett, James, Charlotte; son, Rob (Kate) grandchildren: Callie, Charlie, Libby; sister, Mary (née Copeland) Godby, and numerous nieces, nephews, great- nieces and nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Bob will be laid to rest in his beloved Alderson, WV— but his family rejoices knowing where his ultimate residence is.

“Take me home, country roads— to the place I belong! West Virginia,Mountain Mama, take me home, country roads.”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…”‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4