FRIENDSHIP — Ralph William Copeland, 93, died April 7, 2015, at the Knox Center in Rockland. He was born Sept. 3, 1921, in Thomaston, to Stanley and Fannie (Grafton) Copeland. Ralph attended school in Friendship and graduated from Friendship High School.

He married Eleanor Louise Benner on Sept. 3, 1942. He was drafted a few weeks later into the U.S. Army-Air Corp during World War II. He completed several weeks of basic training and spent four months of extensive training in aircraft mechanic school in Lincoln, Neb. After completing several months of training, he left with his squadron from New York City on the Queen Elizabeth headed for England. They did not have a Navy escort because the Navy did not have a ship that could match the speed of the Queen Elizabeth. They landed off the shore of Scotland because it was too dangerous to dock the ship in Southampton, where the Germans were waiting across the English Channel. They were offloaded by small boats and put on a train for England.

After D-Day, he moved to France with the 9th Air Force to provide support for General Patton. The 362nd fighter group was awarded two Presidential Citations on a recommendation from General Patton for their exceptional support. Ralph spent two years in France with the 362nd fighter group. The 362nd was scheduled to be moved to the Pacific when news came that the war had ended.

After the war, he delivered mail from Friendship to Thomaston. In 1949, he decided to give lobstering a try, and ultimately decided to return back to delivering mail, which he did until he retired in 1996 after 37 years of service.

He was a lifetime member of Stone-Scott-Watson V.F.W. Post #3095 in Friendship, the N.R.A. and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. He was very proud of the fact that four generations of his family were life members of the N.R.A. He was also a member of the 362nd Fighter Group Association.

He was predeceased by his wife, Eleanor (Benner) Copeland; his sister-in-law, Glenys Simmons; and by a brother-in-law, Leslie Overlock.

He is survived by a daughter, Viola Davis and her husband, Blaine, of Friendship; his sister, Ruth Overlock of Wallingford, Conn.; his grandchildren, Blaine Davis and his wife, CarolAnn, of Cumming, Ga., and Daniel Davis and his wife, Jean, of Friendship; his great-grandchildren, Amber Reed of Hollis Center, Vanessa Davis of Friendship, and Courtney, Joshua and Zachary Davis, all of Cumming, Ga.; his brother-in-law, Carl Simmons of Friendship; his nieces, Lucille Blackler of Daphne, Ala.,  and Jeanette Hayes-Geisler of Waldoboro; and his nephew, Gilbert Simmons of Friendship.

Friends are welcome to join the family for a time of visitation Wednesday, April 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hall's of Waldoboro, 949 Main St. in Waldoboro. A service with military honors to celebrate Ralph's life will be held Thursday, April 16 at 1 p.m. at Hall's of Waldoboro. The Rev. Robert Dorr will officiate.

Burial will be in Harbor Cemetery in Friendship later in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ralph's memory may be made to Stone-Scott-Watson V.F.W. Post #3095, P.O. Box 114, Friendship, ME 04547.

You can share a condolence with the family by visiting hallfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to Hall's of Waldoboro.