No headline

Tracy Roy Copeland

November 2, 1965 – October 27, 2018

Tracy was the youngest son of Velma and B.L. Kuykendall. Although B.L. was not Tracy’s biological father, he was who helped raise him and who he looked up to and called DAD. Tracy was born in Loveland, Colo., in 1965. He remained there until he was about three years old, when Velma and B.L. moved the family to Livermore, Calif.

Tracy had a wild streak from the time he was young until he moved on. Although it tamed itself some as he grew older and wiser, it never really left him entirely. At age 10 he totaled his first car trying to drive it around the ranch he lived on. This was not the last vehicle that met its demise by Tracy, but having been the first it remained engraved on his memory and he spoke of it just the other day.

He learned many life skills growing up on the ranch. From working hard to driving heavy equipment, he learned to do it all. B.L. had him working like a man, bucking hay and herding cattle. Tracy really did appreciate all his dad taught him, even if he didn’t understand at the time. He often spoke of how much his early years shaped him and how much it helped him throughout his adulting years.

Tracy also worked hand in hand with his brother-in-law, Rod. He told Marlis that he never would have been able to do what he did, building almost anything, had it not been for Rod and the opportunities he was given as a journeyman carpenter. Rod called Tracy a journeyman long before anyone else gave him the chance.

In 1991 B.L., Velma, Tracy’s brother, Craig, and Tracy moved from California to North Idaho to start a new life. B.L. and Velma purchased a parcel of land north of Athol, where they all worked to make it a home. Eventually, both boys worked to put up homes of their own on the property. They continually worked to improve things there. In 1992, Tracy again had the chance to work alongside Rod and Roxann, helping build their home. In fact, he had an indelible scare that he remembered for the rest of his life when he almost fell off the roof of the second floor.

Tracy met his life partner, Marlis in 1994. Although Tracy and Marlis never had children together, Tracy helped raise and support Marlis’s children throughout the years. Tracy must have thought it important to help Marlis, probably because he knew how important it was that B.L. did it for him. He taught the boys all that he could, taking them to work with him at his construction company and framing homes all throughout the Northwest from Sandpoint to the Tri-Cities. There are hundreds of homes that Tracy has touched.

Marlis’s son, Mike worked alongside Tracy for many years until Mike started working for the school district as a diesel mechanic. Tracy also continued to work on his sister Roxann’s home. He spent many days working with his nephew, Brandon, teaching him how to build, like his father Rod, whatever his sister had in mind. You could say Tracy was very eclectic when it came to talent. He could build most anything, he could drive most anything and he could teach both to anyone that wanted to learn. He worked at Home Depot and most recently helped a couple to maintain their estate in the Cougar Gulch area. His skills also were used in the various Capone’s Restaurants in our area.

Tracy wasn’t all about work, either. He really enjoyed fishing in the various lakes here in North Idaho. Tracy and Marlis often took out their boat to enjoy a day on the lake. You could say Tracy wasn’t the most patient of people though. Once he told the story of pulling up to a boat launch where two boats were in the water on either side of the launch not in much of a hurry to move. The fish were waiting, so Tracy just put the boat in between the two others and Mike motored it away, ready to fish. He would also ride his ATV with his son, Mike and nephew, Brandon. He enjoyed the opportunity to get a deer or elk whenever he could for the season.

Tracy will be missed by many in this community, but none more than his family that loved him so much. Tracy is survived by his partner, Marlis Harper; son Mike, and daughter-in-law, Tory; granddaughter, Alissa “Lissa”; daughter, Janet LoPresti; and son, Eric. He is also survived by his sis, Roxann Burtis; brothers, Craig Copeland and Kelvin Kuykendall; his nephews, Brandon, Dustin and Rodney Burtis; Jeff Wozniak; nieces, Chantilly Burtis and Sadie Wozniak; as well as many great-nephews and nieces. He will also be greatly missed by all his many friends in the area that not only called him a friend, but also a part of their family. He was preceded in death by both Velma and B.L. Kuykendall, his mom and dad.

A celebration of Tracy’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, at Athol Community Center, 30355 N. Third St; Athol, ID 83801.