Phyllis Lea Copeland, of Vienna, was born on January 1, 1948, at Dixon, a daughter of Willard M. and Hazel Irene (George) Crews, and departed this life at 5:29 p.m., on Sunday, March 1, 2020, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Westphalia.  She had attained the age of 72 years, 2 months, and 1 day.

Phyllis was united in marriage on December 10, 1966, at First Baptist Church in Dixon, to Bobby Franklin Copeland, and to this union, two sons were born.

Phyllis was a 1966 graduate of the Dixon R-1 High School and was a member of the basketball cheerleading squad.  She was always involved in helping to organize the class reunion with one being held every five years since 1966, until the annual all class reunions started, and she still notified her fellow classmates.  For the past several years, Phyllis had assisted with the setting up and decorating for the annual reunions in the Barn.  At the death of a classmate, Phyllis was one of the individuals to see that a memorial tribute was sent from the class.

She had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and had followed Him in baptism at an early age while attending the First Baptist Church in Dixon.  At the time of her passing, Phyllis was a faithful and dedicated member of the First Baptist Church in Vienna where she had served on the Church Nominating Committee to fill various positions of leadership and service within the church.  Phyllis had also served on the Church Hospitality Committee and had helped to organize and host funeral dinners, special church family meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas, food and refreshments for Gasconade Valley Baptist Association events held in Vienna, and any other activity where help was needed.  She also had served as a church greeter and as a member of the church counting group.

During her working life, Phyllis had been employed by Civil Service at Fort Leonard Wood prior to her retirement.  Never wanting to stop working, she was later employed at the Head Start Program in Vienna, then at Fick Distributing Company in Vienna, and at the time of her passing, at the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes in Vienna and Dixon.

Phyllis was active and well known in Vienna and the surrounding area for always being energetic and interested in what was going on around her.  She loved walking with friends and had been a member of the Backyard Bootcamp Girls exercise group for the past seven years.  Phyllis thoroughly enjoyed going on trips and traveling with her adventures taking her to all fifty states and numerous countries abroad. She was a long time member and volunteer of the Maries County Historical Society and had served as Director of the Board for three years.

Those left to mourn the passing of Phyllis include:  Her husband of fifty-three years, Bobby, of the home near Vienna; her sons, Michael Copeland and wife, Cynthia, of Washington, and Jamey Copeland and wife, Peggy, of Jefferson City; her beloved grandchildren, Amber Struemph, Zach Copeland, Josh Copeland, Morgan Copeland, and Cayla Copeland; her dearly loved great-granddaughter, Isabelle Copeland; many other relatives; and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Willard, on February 12, 1967; her mother, Hazel, on October 10, 2001; her three brothers, Roland Crews, Willard Terrance Crews on January 9, 1994, and Medford "Doogie" Crews on February 1, 2009; and her one sister, Judy Ann (Crews) Forshey on November 2, 2010.

A Celebration of Life Visitation for Mrs. Phyllis Lee Copeland will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., on Saturday, June 6, 2020, in the First Baptist Church, 1004 Highway 63 South, Vienna, Missouri  65582, hosted by Pastor Chris Slocum, under the direction of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home in Vienna.

A family only graveside committal service for Mrs. Phyllis Lea Copeland will follow in the Kenner Cemetery, near Dixon, with Amber Struemph, Zachary Copeland, Joshua Copeland Morgan Copeland, Cayla Copeland, and Isabelle Copeland serving as her honorary pallbearers by Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home in Vienna.

Memorial contributions in memory of Mrs. Phyllis Lea Copeland are suggested by her family to the educational trust fund for her grandchildren with envelopes available at the First Baptist Church the day of the visitation or in care of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri  65582.