With heavy yet grateful hearts, we honor the life and enduring legacy of Willette Coplin, who departed this world on June 28, 2026, just days before her seventieth birthday. Born on July 11, 1956, Willette’s life’s journey was marked by unwavering devotion—to faith, to family, and to the countless lives she touched along the way.
Willette was known and cherished for her family-centered spirit. Her deep love for her relatives was a guiding force through every season of her life. Especially dear to her heart was her beloved buddy DeAndre, who brought her joy and companionship, serving as a beacon of the familial love that Willette so graciously cultivated. Her care did not stop at her own home. Willette extended her hand to women and children, giving her support generously and exemplifying compassion in its purest form.
A woman strong in both spirit and conviction, Willette was baptized and remained firmly anchored in her faith. Her relationship with the Lord was the bedrock upon which she built her life. This spiritual strength shone through her acts, her words of encouragement, and the steady kindness with which she regarded friend and stranger alike.
She leaves behind a devoted lineage: her beloved daughter, Alicia Coplin-Bussell, who carries forth Willette’s loving essence; her cherished grandchildren Chosen Dunbar, Shaliyah Gentry, Kenija Crumble, Ken’Asia Crumble, and Drevion Bussell; and her adored great-grandchildren, Ah’Kahri Gentry, Ah’Ryiah Scott, and La’Miriyah Dunbar; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved her dearly. Willette’s warmth also embraced her dear friend Yvonne Rouse, whose friendship was treasured.
The passage of Willette’s journey reunites her with those family members who preceded her in death: her son DeCory Gentry; her father Nathan Coplin, Sr. and mother Laura Ivie Coplin; her granddaughter Ah’Lahni Scott; her sisters Francine Bradford, Margaret Nelson, Earnestine Burns, Willa Mae Coplin-Crump, Imogene Simpson, and Willa Bell Ivie; and her brothers Nathan Coplin, Jr., Sylvester Coplin, and Leroy Coplin. Their reunion is surely joyful, each soul a thread in the vibrant tapestry of Willette’s love and heritage.
To all who knew her, Willette radiated generosity and devotion. Her greatest joy was found in the laughter, accomplishments, and well-being of those she called family. She stood as a source of strength in their difficult hours and celebrated each triumph as if it were her own. Her influence, felt in gestures large and small, will ripple through generations to come.
The family welcomes friends to share in remembering Willette at a visitation on July 18, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Greater Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, 1324 Bloomfield Avenue, Paducah, KY 42001. A funeral service of gratitude and remembrance will follow at noon at the same sacred venue.
In honor of Willette Coplin, let us celebrate a life lived with purpose, conviction, and boundless love—her legacy now cherished and carried forward by all blessed to have known her.
You may light a candle or leave online condolences at pettusrowlandfh.com.
