Roger H. Coppersmith, Sr.

Lifespan: 1943-07-04 — 2018-07-08

Summary

Born in Green Bay on the Fourth of July, 1943 — fifth (or sixth) of six children of Claude and Marie (Bodoh) Coppersmith. Served in the US Army. Worked 40+ years at Georgia Pacific (the Green Bay paper-mill complex that absorbed Northern Paper Mills, where his grandfather Frank had worked — three generations of Coppersmith men in the same paper-mill workplace under different corporate owners). Enjoyed golfing with his daughter, shooting pool, traveling, and spending time at the farm with his grand and great-grandchildren.

Children’s mother: Carol Hunsucker — sister of Virginia Karen Pokorny, who married Roger’s older brother Leonard. Two Coppersmith brothers married two Pokorny sisters. Four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren. Grandson Roger Coppersmith III preceded him in death.

Funeral Mass at Saints Peter & Paul Church, Green Bay (the family’s parish — Dorothy attended SS. Peter & Paul Elementary), with full military honors.

Relationships

• Parents: Claude Coppersmith & Marie (Bodoh) Coppersmith
• Children’s mother: Carol (Pokorny) Hunsucker — sister of Virginia Pokorny (Leonard’s wife)
• Children: Roger Coppersmith Jr. (fiancee Candy Gross), Chris Coppersmith (daughter)
• Siblings: Dorothy (Coppersmith) Krumpos (1928–2002), Leonard C Coppersmith (1929–2003), Florence (Coppersmith) Challe (1932–2020), Robert Coppersmith (1936–1947), Ronald “Ronnie” Coppersmith (~1939–?)

Sources

• Obituary, Malcore Funeral Home / Green Bay Press-Gazette, July 2018 (transcribed in full in sources/obituaries/): https://www.malcorefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Roger-Coppersmith — confirms US Army, 40+ years at Georgia Pacific, parents as Claude & Marie (Bodoh) Coppersmith.
• FindAGrave Memorial #212849405 — https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/212849405/roger-h-coppersmith
• Virginia (Pokorny) Coppersmith obit (Ryan FH, 2009) — establishes Carol Hunsucker as Virginia’s sister, documenting the two-sisters-two-brothers cross-link.

Research Notes

• “His days at the farm” — unclear which farm this refers to.
• Leonard died 2003-10-21; Robert died 1947-03-02 age 11 — both confirmed via Virginia’s obit and MyHeritage respectively.
• The Hunsucker/Pokorny marriage chain is a documented cross-link in the tree worth preserving — see also leonard-coppersmith.md for the matching note.