Myrna May Copeland (1938-2011)

Myrna May Copeland of Huntsville died Tuesday December 13th at the age of 73 at her store Pearly Gates. She was born on April 18th, 1938 in New York City to parents Mildred and Albert Geldern. She married Donald Copeland of New York City in 1955 and they moved to Huntsville in 1958. She received an MA in Psychology from UAH in 1969 and worked as director of Scottsboro’s Mental Health Center. 

 

Myrna opened Huntsville’s first natural foods grocery store and restaurant, Pearly Gates, in 1974 at 2800 South Memorial Parkway where it is still located today. In the 1960s, she played a pivotal role in Huntsville and Alabama’s civil rights and political history. She was active in the Democratic Party throughout her time, and was a founding member of the National Democratic Party of Alabama. 

 

As a Chogye Buddhist who studied under Korean Zen Master Il Bueng So and his student Master Don Gilbert, she helped found Huntsville’s first Buddhist sangha, the Huntsville Zen Center. 

 

She is survived by her daughter Deanna McGrew of Huntsville, her son Jim of Denver, CO, and her brother Monty Geldern of Seminole, FL. She is predeceased by her husband Donald Copeland in 1993, her father Albert in 1974 and recently her mother Mildred in Oct 2011. 

 

A memorial celebration in her honor was held on Jan 8th, 2012 at the Flying Monkey Theater at Lowe Mill in Huntsville. Memorial donations in Myrna’s honor can be sent to: Food Bank of North Alabama, Hospice of North Alabama, New Leash on Life Animal Rescue, or VillageOutreach.org.

 

Look for an article honoring the life of Myrna Copeland in the March issue of Natural Awakenings.