Lena Bell Copeland Cox

Lena Bell Copeland Cox, 72, of Edisto Island, wife of Joel R. Cox, Jr., MD, passed away Friday, June 13, 2014 at Roper Hospital, Charleston. Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service on Monday, June 16, 2014 at 11 o’clock at Summerville Presbyterian Church, 407 S. Laurel Street, Summerville. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Lena’s honor to a charity that is meaningful to you. Lena was born May 7, 1942 in Clinton, SC, daughter of the late James McElroy Copeland and Willie Mae Ferguson Copeland. Lena graduated from Winthrop College in 1963. She married the love of her life in 1964, and spent the next fifty years as a newlywed. Lena supported her husband Joel in the establishment of his private practice in 1975, now Lowcountry Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. She was the long-time proprietor of the Finishing Touch in downtown Summerville, with a love and passionate dedication to promoting local artists. In 1994, she turned the treasured family home into a bed and breakfast in order to share the beauty of Cannon Prettyman’s home and gorgeous camellias with visitors to her pretty town. She was instrumental in the establishment of many local sporting opportunities for kids, from swim teams to soccer teams. Lena served as Vice-Chairman of the Pinewood School Board during the critical period when overtures were being made to merge Pinewood School with the Summerville Academy. Her vision, diligence and sense of fairness were vital to the successful merger and to the development of what is now Pinewood Preparatory School. Lena was one of the founders of Summerville D.R.E.A.M. (“Downtown Restoration Enhancement and Management”) and served as the first President of D.R.E.A.M. Board of Directors in 1993. In less than five years of the Board’s leadership, vacancy in the downtown Summerville historic district went from 40% to less than 5%. She also created the name for Summerville’s Fourth of July celebration, “RED, WHITE & BLUE on the GREEN,” which is still Summerville’s annual celebration for Independence Day. Her dedication to the Town of Summerville and her quiet leadership set an example for others to emulate and for other organizations to wish they could clone. Lena was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission for the Town of Summerville, serving on the Planning Commission for a number of years. She was elected the first Chairman of the Board of Sculpture in the South, and she and Joel were some of the original Founding Donors who made it possible for Summerville to have more than twenty pieces of permanent outdoor sculpture in Summerville. During the 2013 Christmas season, she was surprised by hundreds of well-wishers to announce that a new piece of bronze sculpture depicting a pair of Canada Geese would be presented to Summerville in her honor as part of the new “B.I.R.D.S.” (Birds In Residence In Downtown Summerville) program. Creative herself, she also supported numerous other organizations to expand the arts, culture and conservation in the Lowcountry, including the Summerville Orchestra, Flowertown Players, Edisto Open Land Trust and Audubon South Carolina. Survivors, including her husband Joel, are one son; Dan Cox (Cheri) of Virginia Beach, VA, and two daughters; Shae Rozakos (Chris) of Anderson and Arden Cordoza (Jake) and as well as Joakim Georgs of Finland, who is like a son; eight grandchildren; Isabel Cox and Olivia Cox and their mother Katherine Pemberton, Nick Rozakos, Ana Rozakos, Wyatt Cordoza, Kaitlyn Cordoza and twins Ryan and Cooper Cordoza, two brothers; Buddy Copeland and Richard Copeland and one sister; Sara Frances Longshore and many and much loved nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two sisters; Mae Alexander and Joy Copeland. She leaves many people and places better for her to-brief presence. A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jamesadyal.com. ARRANGEMENTS BY JAMES A. DYAL FUNERAL HOME, 303 S. MAIN STREET, SUMMERVILLE, SC 29483 (843) 873-4040.

Lena Bell Copeland Cox

May 7, 1942 - June 13, 2014