Clarice Copeland

Clarice Combo Copeland was born in Cofield, North Carolina on April 7, 1937, the fourth of sixteen children born to Alease (Manley) and Lee Combo. When Clarice was about seven years old, she and her eight year old sister, Lynette, went to live with their maternal Uncle, Jack Manley and his wife Elizabeth in Holland, Virginia. On one of their monthly visits with his sister Alease, Uncle Jack and Aunt Liz asked if Lynette could come to live permanently with them. Lynette wanted to go but only if her inseparable younger sister, Clarice could come also. Their mother reluctantly agreed, and off went these two adorable little girls to live with Uncle Jack and Aunt Liz in Holland, Virginia, where they joined Aunt Liz’s two adult children, Bill and Mattie Louise, who would forever consider Clarice and Lynette to be their little sisters. Lynette and Clarice lived with Uncle Jack and Aunt Liz until each left the home to be married. Clarice and Lynette always expressed gratitude to Uncle Jack and Aunt Liz. Clarice was educated in the Nansemond County public school system. After graduating from the Holland Graded School she subsequently graduated from the Nansemond Country Training School. Clarice entered into holy matrimony with James Copeland in 1955 and moved with him to his family’s farm. To this union were born three children: James Alquinton, Glenda Yvette and Talmadge Orlando. During their marriage, Clarice was a devoted wife and homemaker, a loving and caring mother, a dutiful and respectful daughter-in-law and a beloved sister-in-law to James’ five brothers, who had no sisters. When their marriage ended in divorce, Clarice returned to Cofield. During the ensuing years, she worked at several jobs before retiring from the Purdue Chicken Corporation. After her mother’s passing, Clarice became the devoted caretaker for her sister, Carolyn. As a young child in Cofield, Clarice attended the Phillips Baptist Church. When she returned to Cofield, she reconnected with Phillips Baptist and was an active and supportive member until her health failed. Clarice was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved Uncle Jack and Aunt Elizabeth, her siblings Cecil, Geraldine, Lynette, Willie, Kenneth, Carlease, Robert Jr., James, Howard, Ricky, Adolphus and Dennis. She leaves to mourn her passing her three children: (James) Alquinton of Cofield, Glenda Sessoms of Cofield and (Talmadge) Orlando of Chester, Virginia; one brother William (Linda) of Cofield, four sisters, Carolyn Combo of Cofield, Gloria Smith of Roswell, Ga., Lorraine Hall of Suffolk, Virginia, Mattie Louise (Abe) Copeland of Holland, Virginia; five grandchildren: Kenneth and Brandon Hall, Passion Copeland Sanchez, Kayla Sessoms, Jordan Copeland: eight great-grandchildren: Jatasia Cherry, Sharmeek, Ebris and Shamiya Thompson, Jennifer Freeman, Jalia Powell, Londyn Copeland and Liana Sessoms, and one aunt, Naomi Boykins of Holland. Clarice will also be missed by host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Tributes

Clarice Copeland

April 6, 1937 - March 25, 2014