Edward J. Copeta

NEW SALEM - Edward James Copeta, 82 of 78 North Spectacle Pond Road, New Salem, died Thursday, April 25, 2013 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Athol, on December 20, 1930, the son of the late Pietro “Peter” and the late Domenica “Lena” (Morandi) Copeta. He grew up in Athol and graduated from Athol High School with the class of 1950. Mr. Copeta worked in road construction for 30 years, including the development of Route 2.  He worked at Whipps, Inc. for a number of years and also worked for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections for 10 years until his retirement in 1995 allowing him to spend more time with nature where he was most happy. He was an avid outdoorsman with a good story or two to tell from every hunting season. Recapping the events with whomever he was with (on a given day) and to his family, could sometimes take hours and seemed to bring more joy than the event itself.  If he wasn’t hunting with his son or one of his many friends, he was out throwing a line to catch that big bass lurking in the lilly pads of his beloved N. Spec Pond right in front of the camp he originally helped build with his Dad in the early 1940’s. In his younger adult years he enjoyed riding his motorcycle, but even then could most often be found working around his yard at White Pond, tending to his gardens, pruning his trees, raking leaves or teaching his kids how to stack wood, weed the garden or eat tomatoes at their finest right off the vine. He leaves his wife of 58 years, June A. (Ovitt) Copeta; five daughters, Lisa A. Duran and her husband Gene of Athol, Lori J. Copeta of Athol, Lynn M. Copeta and her fiancé Randy Plante of Orange, Lana T. Copeta and her fiancé Thomas Slattery of Long Island, NY, Lois A. Ray-Paliulis and her  husband Lee Paliulis of Athol; one son, Peter R. Copeta and his fiancé Maryann Burton of Athol; one sister, Julia Schroeder of West Covina, CA; nine grandchildren, Jonathan, Michael, Jennifer, Katie, Nick, Cole, Amber, Jessie, Nicholas; a great grandson, Noah; a niece, Joanne Crystal and a nephew, Jim Schroeder. He was predeceased by his sister, Frances Crystal. Funeral services and burial will be private.  There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in his memory to Athol Daily News Santa Fund c/o Athol Daily News, PO Box 1000, Athol, MA 01331 or to the American Diabetes Association, 10 Speen St 2nd Floor Framingham, MA 01701 or to the Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472. For more information or to sign our online guest book please visit www.fiskemurphymack.com. Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home 110 New Athol Road, Orange is directing arrangements. $(document).ready(function(){ });