Esty Copley

Esty Zola Allison Copley reached her earthly journey’s end and passed away peacefully with children and family present on May 11, 2019. Esty was born February 7, 1927 in Saltville, VA and was the daughter of Steve Alex and Ellen Mae (Henderson) Allison.
Esty accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior and was baptized into the Christian faith. Esty was a very loving and devoted mother who raised her children in God’s house and was there every time the church doors opened. She was a faithful servant to her Lord and taught Sunday School classes to youth and adults for decades, was a youth group leader, sang alto in the church choir and was very actively involved in women’s organizations at her church. She served on committees at church and represented her church at district meetings. She would always talk about how proud she was of all of her children whether it be children by birth or the many youth that she taught about God’s love, mercy, grace and peace. She served for many years on the team that provided meals to the sick and shut-in church members as well as neighbors and would make homemade pies which were “out of this world,” bake her blue ribbon pound cakes and famous potato rolls to deliver with the meals.
Esty lettered in basketball during her school years and was a graduate of the class of 1944 at Big Creek High School in War, West Virginia. She worked in the business office for Olga Coal Company and Case America Company in Coalwood, WV. She completed nurse’s training and worked at Grace Hospital, Welch, WV, and then in the business office at Stevens Clinic Hospital, Welch, WV, from which she retired.
Upon graduation from high school, the very beautiful Esty briefly worked at the Olga Coal Company store where she met the very handsome William E. “Bill” Copley who was employed by the coal company and lived across the street in the company clubhouse. After many trips to the store to go through her checkout line, “Bill” finally got enough nerve to ask her out. They married, lived, laughed and loved until Bill passed away.
Esty was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband; her sisters, Eva Atwood and Dottie Evans; and her brothers, Herman Allison and Ray Allison.
Those that she left behind for whom she will be waiting in heaven to join her are her son, William E. Copley, Jr. (Rosemary) of Bluefield, WV; her daughter, Martha Ellen Copley Madeira (Mark) of Radford, VA; five grandchildren: Angela Joy Madeira of Gloucester, VA; William Edgar Copley, III (Cathy) of McLean, VA; Owen Matthew Madeira (Shannon) of Radford, VA; Dr. Allison Lynn Copley Dinger (Joe) of Princeton, WV; and Maegan Elise Madeira (James) of Radford, VA. She is also survived by fifteen great-grandchildren: Jacob, Mark William, Christopher, Austin, Allissa, Kalani, Nathan, Anthony, Gavin, Emma, Alyssa, William, Katina, Makenzi, Karaleena; and two great-great grandchildren, Christopher William and Michael. She is also survived by one brother, Edgar Graham Allison of Bel Air, MD; and one sister, Willa Hogston of Abingdon, VA.
A Christian Celebration of Praise and Thanksgiving will be held at Cravens-Shires Funeral Home located at 3431 Coal Heritage Road, Bluefield, WV (State Route 52) on Thursday, May 16 at 1:00 PM with visitation for family and friends two hours prior to the service. Pastors Shawn Bragg and Donnie Dinger will officiate. Interment at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Bluewell will immediately follow the service. Pallbearers will be grandsons and great grandsons.
In lieu of memorials, the family has requested that donations be made to the Lorton Lick Baptist Church Building Fund, 2548 Lorton Lick Road, Bluefield, WV 24701.