Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Mitchel “Mitch” Raymond Copp passed away Aug. 26, 2020 in the company of his daughter, after struggling to recover from an extended hospitalization.
Mitchel was born in Worland, Wyo., to Frank and Jeanne (Etchemendy) Copp, on Jan. 2, 1939, and was forever proud to be from the state. Mitch attended all 12 years of school in Greybull, Wyo., and graduated in 1957.
While in high school, Mitch was a standout in several sports, music and academics. Mitchel enlisted in the Navy in 1960 and spent four years on the USS Hornet as an electronics technician. He returned to Greybull where he met and married Anita Elvick on May 3, 1969.
In 1970, he attended the University of Wyoming, which he fondly called the “Harvard of the West.” Mitchel graduated with an agricultural business degree and began to work for the USDA, approving loans to farmers across the state of Wyoming. In 1986, he moved his family to Bozeman where he began working on larger community improvement projects. He retired from the USDA after 37 years of government service.
Mitchel’s favorite saying was, “Family is everything,” which was apparent from his love of spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He also loved golfing with his buddies at Valley View Golf Course and was so blessed to have ridden along with his friends a few weeks before his death.
Mitchel is proceeded in death by his mother and father Frank and Jeanne (Etchemendy) Copp.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Anita (Elvick) Copp; daughters Michele Copp-Keller and Melissa Copp-Storey, as well as his cherished grandchildren Lillia Keller and Henry Storey. He is also survived by his sister Mary (Neil) Buchanan, two special cousins, Kay Fleek and Vonny Collingwood, as well as other countless family and friends.
It is hard to express how honest, upright and proud Mitch was as a person, but he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Those who did not have the privilege to meet him, surely lost out.
An outdoor socially distanced service will be held on Sept. 12, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. at Story Mill Park (Lelani pavilion) 600 Bridger Drive in Bozeman, Mont. For those who wish to watch the service remotely, a YouTube link for a live webcast can be found on the following website: http://www.dokkennelson.com.
Please reference the Mitchel Copp obituary and copy the link into your browser.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service.