Our Story

OUR STORY

In 1969 Curt Copeland started this funeral home (Morrall-Copeland Funeral Home) and back then Curt knew just about everyone. In 2008, Curt sold Copeland Funeral Home to his longtime friend, Ed Gamble. The name changed slightly from Copeland Funeral Home to Copeland Funeral Service.

Both Curt and Ed believed that the beauty of Beaufort is endless. It’s an area rich in tradition. Beaufort and the surrounding low country is a great place to live, work, and grow. From generation to generation, and from raising a family to retiring, Copeland Funeral Service has been honored to serve the needs of our community.

Curt Copeland passed away on December 4, 2010, but his legacy and love for Beaufort and the low country continues on.

Ed began his career in funeral service during his 10th grade in high school in his home town of Manning (South Carolina). He worked after school and on weekends for Ranny Stephens at Shelley-Brunson Funeral Home (now Stephens Funeral Home). From there he worked for Bill Shives at Talbert-Shives Funeral Home in Columbia. He left Columbia to attend Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, Georgia. Ed returned to Shives Funeral Home after graduation in 1977. He later managed Parrott Funeral Home in Kinston, North Carolina and The Howze Mortuary in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

In 1995, he was hired by Carriage Services as General Manager of Sipple Mortuary in Savannah. After Carriage closed Sipple Mortuary, and knowing that Savannah needed an independent funeral home, Ed and his friend and mentor, Charlie Sipple, opened Gamble Funeral Service in the “old Sipple building” in October, 2003.

In April, 2011, Tom Wright joined the Copeland Funeral Service family as Vice President and General Manager. Tom is also currently serving on the South Carolina State Board of Funeral Service.