Aug 31

Aug 31 HIGH PROFILE: BRIAN COPNER

Brian Copner has spent his life honoring those who have passed on, yet this multifaceted mortician lives life to the fullest each day. He was born to Judith Ann and James W. Copner in Tacoma, Washington, on January 29th, 1963. Brian’s father had the biggest impact on his life—it is because of his father that he went into the funeral business, and his parents also imparted integrity, loyalty, and work ethic that he continues to hold very dear.

Family remains the single most important facet of his life—a great evening at home for him is watching TV with his family. Brian and his wife Stephanie have three children. James, the eldest, lives in Valencia, builds off-road vehicles, and has two children—Ethan (6 years old) and Amalia (8 months old), whom Brian absolutely adores. His daughter Chelsea Potter is a licensed dietician in Arroyo Grande, and his younger son Nicklaus is a student at The University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Two beloved greyhounds complete his family. Former racers Sully and Dutch were adopted from a racetrack, and Brian simply loves the breed—especially the retired hounds. “I highly recommend adopting greyhounds! There are many adoption agencies that do all the work. They are gentle giants and great companions. Don’t adopt these guys as guard dogs, though—they would rather greet your intruder and offer them kindness and love than risk missing out on a chance for a good belly scratch. I joke that ‘for the price of a good belly scratch and head pat, my boys would show a burglar right to my safe.’ We love our ‘couch potatoes,’ as they are extremely laid back and composed, and rarely bark. The beauty of adopting a greyhound is that for a nominal adoption fee, you get a world-class purebred racer and the pleasure of rehoming a hard-working animal.”

Outside of his family, Brian enjoys golf, flying, guitar, motorcycles, cooking, beer-making, and collecting watches. Though he will admit, regarding his watch collection, that “it’s gotten a bit out of hand.” His favorite game is soccer, but football (particularly the Dallas Cowboys) gets an honorable mention in the sports arena. Flight has always fascinated him—he’d have to say his biggest regret is “not completing my commercial pilot’s certificate,” but that doesn’t stop Brian from still enjoying aviation.

Growing up, the funeral business was also the family business. Brian’s first job, at age 15, was at his family’s funeral home, Tinkler Mission Chapel Mortuary, where he started out making $4.50 an hour. Throughout his life, he’s touched nearly every aspect of the industry. A mortician of 35 years, he’s also a licensed embalmer, and has been a funeral director, cemetery and crematory manager, and cemetery broker.

The best advice Brian ever received has helped shape his career: “If the leaders remain calm when facing adversity, then the followers will, too.” This wisdom has served him well over the years, as Brian has worked up into leadership roles time and again. Now, since 2014, he has served as Dignity Memorial’s Market Director of the Central California Region, which includes over a dozen locations across the Central Valley: Lakewood Funeral Home & Lakewood Memorial Park in Hughson; Whitehurst-Norton-Dias Funeral Service in Turlock; Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home in Merced Palm Memorial – Worden Chapel in Chowchilla; Miller Memorial Chapel in Visalia; Miller Memorial Chapel in Woodlake; People’s Funeral Chapel in Hanford; Boice Funeral Home in Clovis; Lisle Funeral Home, Funeraria Del Angel Tinkler, Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, Stephens and Bean Funeral Chapel, Palm La Paz Funerals & Cremations, and Fresno Memorial Gardens, all in Fresno.

Communication is part of the key to his success. “Communication is the responsibility of the one speaking. Confused people don’t act.” Every new year, he resolves to “be a better communicator. If the person I’m communicating with did not understand my message, then it is my responsibility to recraft the message and to ensure both parties are on the same page. It’s the responsibility of the communicator to ensure communication has happened. Not that of the receiver.”

Being an excellent communicator helps Brian offer the most unique and personalized services for loved ones of those who have passed, changing how funeral services are composed. “As the premier funeral industry leader, we at Dignity Memorial are highly committed to service excellence and the pursuit of creating highly personalized celebrations of life to those we serve; to ensure one’s footprint on earth never goes forgotten. We all have different stories, which is why we go to great lengths to capture those stories and provide the most fitting celebration of life—from a highly formal traditional or religious service to a secular sport, hobby, occupational, or recreationally themed service.”

One particular memorial perfectly exemplifies Brian’s service style. “About two years ago, I had the honor of planning and directing a celebration of life for my dear friend Alan Nyitray. I met Alan through the Fresno beer brewing scene and he was the brewmaster that taught me the art of brewing beer. Alan was a local painter who operated his painting company named Another Coat of Paint. His last job, before mother nature brought him home, was to paint the Tower Theater. Putting our heads together, we came up with a painter-themed celebration. After all, this is part of our mission: creating meaningful celebrations and life remembrances. In the end, Alan’s life celebration was a theater performance! Instead of suits, the directors of the service wore painters’ overalls. Instead of a traditional memorial folder or prayer card, you were issued a highly customized admission ticket, as we held the service in the Tower Theater (ring a bell?). His painting tools and supplies decorated the stage and his cremated remains were on display in an urn made to look like a paint can.”

The Central Valley is lucky to have such a devoted and creative man charged with honoring those who remain with us only in memory.