Helen S. Glass Coppaken passed away peacefully in Overland Park, Kansas, on Sept. 5.
Funeral services were held Sept. 7 in the Yukon Chapel of Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
Helen was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 2, 1930, to Herman and Dorothy Glass. She attended Paseo High School and the University of Missouri in Columbia. At a young age, Helen acquired an ear for music and became an accomplished piano player. This led to her musical participation in high school plays, college sorority shows, and Congregation Beth Shalom Sisterhood performances.
Helen married Arnold Coppaken in 1952, and they were happily married for 54 years until his passing in 2006. They had three children: Ron (Denise) Coppaken, Howard (Lorri) Coppaken, and Judy Ann Coppaken (deceased). Helen’s five grandchildren include Todd (Celine) Coppaken, Jeff (Blaine) Coppaken, Cailin (Nick Van Forester), Alex Coppaken (Derek Harris) and Katherine Coppaken. Great-grandchildren include Maya, Avi, Wyatt, Miles and Hayes Coppaken.
Helen remained close to her older brother, Leonard Glass (Ann Stern), who resides at Village Shalom. She also had fond memories of her sister-in-law, Carol Glass (deceased).
Helen volunteered with many organizations including Beth Shalom Sisterhood, the Menorah Hospital gift shop, and Children’s Asthmatic Research Institute in which she served two terms as president. In addition, Helen was a part-time bank teller for Commerce Bank for 25 years. In the 1990s, she pivoted careers and became a travel agent for Brennco Cruises and Tours. This led to a new hobby in international cruising that Helen shared with her husband, Arnold.
Helen’s family would like to thank the extraordinary staff at Village Shalom for their top-notch care. Helen was a 10-year resident.
Shiva services will be at 7 p.m., Thursday evening, at Village Shalom, and Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. at a family member’s home. Contact Louis Memorial for address information.
In lieu of flowers, the family recommends contributions in Helen’s name to Congregation Beth Shalom, American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.
