Leonard Edward Copsey, Sr. 98 of Mechanicsville, MD passed away on November 7, 2018.
Leonard was born on December 26, 1919 in Horselanding, MD. He was the son of the late Freeman Copsey, Sr. and Lilly Copsey (Burch).
Leonard is preceded in death by his wife of 76 years Josephine Ann Marie Copsey (Quade), his daughter Margaret (Peggy) Alvey, and granddaughter Marlene Saldaña (Wood). Leonard is survived by his children Hilda (Tillie) Wood) (Marvin), Pearl Buckler (Ronald, Sr.), Leonard (Lonnie) Copsey, Jr. (Elaine), Violet (Sissie) Buckler (David Sr.), Frances (PeeWee) Gray (Ralph Sr.), Emma (Punkin) Bowles (Jerry) all of Mechanicsville, MD. Leonard has 15 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren.
Leonard was the last of his generation, he is preceded in death by his brothers Al Copsey, Frank Copsey, and Freeman Copsey.
Leonard was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, MD. Leonard lived a fulfilling life born on the riverbanks of the Patuxent River down on the shore. As an eight year old child, Leonard came down with rheumatic fever, all of his classmates who came down with it died, but he survived and it caused his heart to go “boomp stop boomp stop” all his life. Leonard will tell you he was raised by his grandfather Ned Copsey growing up on the farm as a boy working with his grandfather raising tobacco and loading up there crop by boat and taking it up to Baltimore. As a young teen, Leonard met the love of his life at a school dance, whom he spent his life with and his passion for Bootlegging. Leonard loved bootlegging whiskey. Setting up stills in the riverbanks he lived on, the farm he was raised on and few other places around the county.
While Leonard was bootlegging to make a living, he also farmed and the river was his home crabbing and oystering. Leonard was drafted by the Navy around the 1940’s, but the “boomp boomp stop boomp boomp stop” in his heart the Navy considered a burden and took Leonard as a cook on a boat. The boat never left port because as he would tell you “they dropped that bomb over there and they sent us all home.”
Back at home in 1946, Leonard along with his wife Josephine Built and opened the first crab house in St. Mary’s County “The Drift Inn Crab House. Leonard on crabs and Josephine in the kitchen, another business they loved to do hand and hand as they raised their children. In 1955, Leonard and Josephine opened up the Patuxent River Oyster Company. Leonard loved the businesses, he enjoyed socializing with his customers and making sure he took care of the business.
When not working Leonard loved his view from his porch, the smell of bootleg whiskey that came to be enjoyment and not work and admiring the fish hawk he so proudly called his own. Leonard along with his wife spent there off time in Port Charlotte, Florida. Together Leonard and Josephine loved to travel and in his words “there’s a lot of miles on these old feet.”
Leonard leaves a legacy behind that he instilled in all his children. Leonard’s daughter Punkin along with her husband Jerry, now run the Drift Inn, his daughter Sissie along with her husband David is Sandgates Inn, and his son Lonnie along with his wife Elaine is Capt. Leonard’s. Peewee along with her husband Ralph, retired from Leonard Copsey’s Seafood Market. Grandson David Buckler, Jr, and wife Debbie at Foxy Fish. Leonard passed away peacefully at his home.
The family will receive friends on Monday, November 12, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM with prayers recited at 7:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Leonardtown, MD.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 10:00 AM in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Morganza, MD with Father Michal Sajnog officiating.
Interment will follow in Mt. Zion United Methodist Cemetery Mechanicsville, MD. Pallbearers for Leonard will be his grandsons; Ronnie Buckler, Troy Buckler, David Buckler, Jr, Ralph Gray, Jr, Ray Alvey, and Richie Copsey. Honorary Pallbearers Johanna Alvey, Tracy Fowler, Anita Drury, Kim Buckler, Eddie Alvey, Margaret Buckler Ford, Cheryl Riley, Cindy Quade, and P.J. Bowles.
