Janet Copeland

Janet Elizabeth Copeland, 75, passed away on January 8th, 2023.  Janet Elizabeth Fox was born on April 6th, 1947 to Tommy and Elizabeth (Manchester) Fox in Nevada, Missouri, the first of two daughters.  Tommy and Elizabeth moved their young family to Grandview, Missouri for better job opportunities.  They bought a house and raised their two girls there.  They lived there until Tommy’s death in 1999.

Janet and her sister, Nancy J went to Grandview public schools from 1st grade to graduation.  Janet was a good student and a flutist in band.  It was there that she would meet a French horn player named Jerry Mac Copeland who would become the love of her life.

They married on April 16, 1965.  Jerry worked many jobs and attended Longview Community college.  Janet was a homemaker and welcomed her first child, a daughter named Janette Elizabeth Copeland in October, 1965.  They lived on Jerry’s parents farm next door to his parents.  The farm was sold and now has become part of Longview lake.  They rented and moved a few times until they bought their first home in Grandview, Missouri.  It was there that they had their second child, a son named James Tom in September, 1971.  Janet worked some jobs to help the family such as being a secretary for the Grandview School District at the Bus Barn.

They moved to Harrisonville in 1975.  Both kids attended Harrisonville Public Schools.  Janet decided to get her real estate license and then her broker license. She enjoyed much success in Real Estate.  In 1981, Jerry and Janet decided to open their own real estate office in Harrisonville called Consolidated Realtors.  This office remained open until October 2022.  Jerry focused more on commercial and farms while Janet’s heart was always with residential.  She loved selling real estate with one of her favorite things being selling homes to first-time home buyers.  She had many repeat loyal clients.   She also served on the board of Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors (KCRAR) for 3 years.

Both kids obtained college degrees.  Jan stayed close to home, moving to Kansas City  while Jim moved to New York.  Jim has been with Google for 17 years.  Janet loved to visit Jim in New York enjoying Broadway shows, carriage rides in Central Park and exploring new restaurants.  Jan remained in Kansas City and became a Pharmacist.  Janet was proud of both her kids and loved spending time with them.

Janet had many interests.  She loved to crochet and many of us have afghans that she lovingly made.  She also inherited from her mother a love for playing cards.  She was wickedly good at cards and you had really accomplished something if you were able to beat her.  Jerry and Janet belonged to the Harrisonville Country Club for many years.  Both enjoyed playing golf at the Club.  She was the secretary at the Country Club for three years.  She also hosted foreign exchange students.  She provided a loving home for  Nilo D’Alesandro (Paraguay), Johan Christiansen (Denmark) and Marie (Tham) McDonald (Hong Kong).  She continued to stay in touch with them.

Jerry and Janet moved to a farm that was family land south of Butler, Missouri in 2001.  They joined the Country Club in Butler and continued to enjoy playing golf. They loved to ride 4 wheelers and their Kubota.  They loved to sit on their screened in porch and watch the hummingbirds and deer.  Many a world issue was solved on that porch.  Jerry loved to fish and hunt.  Janet was also an accomplished hunter and many a deer and turkey met their demise at her accomplished hands.  Janet’s sister Nancy and brother-in-law Bob also moved to the farm earlier in 1997 with each sister living at opposite ends of the farm about a mile apart.

Jan married Randy Mueller and had two children, both sons, William Jerry in 1996 and Jackson Lee in 1999.  Janet was very involved in their lives and adored her grandsons.  She went to many parks and rec games for each and attended many a school party when they were kids.  She attended many a band and other events.  Both boys attended and graduated from the University of Missouri.  Janet and Jerry visited both kids while they were in Columbia.  Except during Covid, she attended Jack’s fraternity Mom’s weekends.  William married Julie Johnson  in October 2022 and Janet was there to see it.  Will and Julie are expecting their first child, Janet’s first great grandchild , a girl who will be named Brynn Elizabeth in February.  She will have a special and loving guardian angel.

Jim married Fabien Odry and they have spent many a day visiting the farm from New York.  Last Christmas, Janet hosted Fabien’s mom Odile for the holidays.  Jim has changed roles at Google and had the opportunity to work remotely.  He has been able to spend even more time at the farm this past year and Janet loved seeing him more.

Janet had just closed their real estate office at the age of 75.  Her kids had been begging her to for years.  Honestly, she was worried about what she would do as a retiree.  She loved to be busy and loved her job.

Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Tommy and Elizabeth and many aunts and uncles.  She was also preceded in death by her two sisters in law and two brothers in law.

Janet is survived by her husband Jerry and two kids, Jan and Jim, and their spouses Randy and Fabien. She is survived by her younger sister Nancy and her husband Bob. Nancy has always had Janet in her life. She is survived by her two grandsons Will and Jackson and granddaughter-in-law Julie. She is survived by her uncle, Mel Patton and many nieces and nephews including Michelle (and Ronnie) Oliphint of Butler, Gaila (and Craig) Miller, Renee (and Nicky) Nesbitt, Shelly (and David) Kempster, Donald (and Pam) Zurbrick, Lloyd (and Melody) Zurbick, Debbie (and Mike) Walton, Carolyn Tait, Bruce (and Joyce) Patton, Cheryl (and John) Benac, and Jeff (and Amber) Patton.

Janet will be missed by many.  She was known for her kindness and would go out of her way to help anybody.  She loved her life on the farm with her husband, Jerry.

Funeral service will be 2pm Saturday, January 14, 2022 at the Heuser Funeral Home, Rich Hill, Missouri.  Burial will be in the Green Lawn Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 1 pm to service time at the Heuser Chapel.  Memorial contributions are suggested to St Jude Children's Hospital or Rich Hill American Legion, Post #67.  Online condolences can be left at www.heuserfunerals.com.