Bette Mae Copley

  Bette Mae Copley departed peacefully from this life on Thursday, November 7, 2024. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Otto and Alta (Atwood) Werner, later moving to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where she married Donald VanPay.

  Bette and Donald eventually settled in Abrams, Wisconsin, where they purchased a dairy farm and raised their six children: Ronnie, Randy, Ricky, Vicki, Russ, and Rory.

  Bette had a tremendous gift for cooking, baking, and cake decorating, and her home was always adorned in seasonal decor, along with her cherished collection of antique glassware on display. She was also a talented, self-taught musician who mastered both the guitar and the organ, with a beautiful singing voice to match. Though once offered the opportunity to sign with a Nashville recording studio, Bette chose a quieter life for her younger two children and kept her singing within the church, prioritizing her family and faith. 

  In 1973, Bette moved to Colorado with her children, where she embraced a life grounded in her relationship with God. Her faith was her foundation, and she became known for her fervent prayers and unwavering trust in God's word. Her family fondly remembers the miraculous events of the Big Thompson River flood in 1976, when her son Russ was stranded in a tree for hours as floodwaters surged below. Bette, strong in faith, prayed fervently, and her family believes that her prayers helped slow the waters long enough for Russ and his rescuers to walk out safely before the river rose again.

  In 1976, Bette met her “knight in shining armor” in Jerry Copley, a Colorado State Patrol officer who offered to help rebuild after the flood. The two became inseparable and were married in 1977, beginning a life of service together. As partners in both life and ministry, they served their local church and pastored together for a time. In 2015, they relocated to Weatherford, Texas, where they continued to serve both their church and family. Bette took great pride in being a grandmother, sharing love and wisdom with her thirty-four grandchildren, as well as her great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

  For over fifty years, Jerry cared for Bette with steadfast devotion, and during the last eighteen months of her life, he was by her side every day, never leaving while she was in rehab. He spent countless nights in a fold-out chair, tending to her with patience and love, successfully preparing to bring her home. And once home, Jerry never wavered as he cared for her around the clock.

  “Officer Copley, you are now off duty, as your darling is now safely home.”

  Bette is survived by her beloved husband, Jerry Copley of Weatherford, Texas; her children: Randy and wife, Kathrine VanPay of San Antonio, Texas; Russ and wife, Stacey VanPay of Weatherford, Texas; Rory and wife, Robin VanPay of Berthoud, Colorado; and Vicki and husband, Lonnie Annan of Berthoud, Colorado; her thirty-four grandchildren, her great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

  Friends and family are invited to celebrate her life at a funeral service on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Galbreaith Pickard Funeral Chapel, 913 N Elm St, Weatherford, Texas. Bette will be laid to rest at Greenwood Community Cemetery.