Submitted by: Mary Jo Koran

SBT 3/14/1979

Richard H. Coppens

September 12,1933 – March 13, 1979

SUICIDE RULED IN DROWNING OF P-H-M TEACHER

A drowning victim pulled from the St Joseph River late Tuesday afternoon has been identified as Richard H. Coppens, 45, of 519 W. 14^th, a Grissom Middle School teacher on a leave of absence.  Deputy Coroner Stanley Koscielski ruled the death suicide.

Koscielski said Coppens had been despondent in recent months, according to reports from the family and friends.  A suicide note was found by police in the victim’s car, which was found parked near the river at Cedar and Edgewater.

Two YMCA employees contacted police shortly after 4pm Tuesday, after seeing the victim’s body in the river.

Police, assisted by emergency medical technicians, recovered the body, which was taken to the St Joseph Hospital morgue.  A police officer who lived near Coppens identified the victim.

Coppens’ widow and a friend told police the victim had been depressed for several months.  They said Coppens left home about 9am Tuesday.

Coppens was employed by the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp, and was on a one-year medical leave of absence.  He was scheduled to return to work at Schmucker Middle School on August 22.  He previously had taught at Grissom Middle School, a P-H-M spokesman said.

Coppens was born on September 12, 1933, in Mishawaka, and had lived here since.  On August 20, 1960, in Mishawaka, he married the former Nancy Nelson, who survives with three daughters, Cara, Colleen and Corinne, all at home.

Also surviving are his mother, Mrs. Anna Coppens of Mishawaka; five sisters, Mrs. Ross (Mary Rose) Portolese, Mrs. James (Marlene) Cosztola and Mrs. Margaret Meersman, all of Mishawaka, Mrs Ron (Joann) Stealy of South Bend and Mrs. John (Judy) Long of Greenville SC; two brothers, John of Mishawaka and David of Union.

Services will be at 1pm Thursday in St Bavo’s Catholic Church, Rev. Robert Mahoney, assistant pastor, presiding, and burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7pm today in the Thallemer-Goethals Funeral Home, where a prayer service will be at 8pm today.

Coppens was a member of St Bavo’s Church, the BK Club and the Osceola Community Players.  He served with the Army from 1954 to 1957.