Doris E. Coppock

Dr. Doris Ellen Coppock, longtime resident of McPherson and Professor Emerita of McPherson College, died on October 25, 2024, in a Wichita hospital where treatment was being attempted for a serious injury suffered in a fall. She was 97 years old.

Doris was born on May 18, 1927, the second child of Xury Landon Coppock and Martha Ellen (Evans) Coppock, in Greenville, Ohio, where her father was pastor of the Church of the Brethren. Subsequently, she moved with her family to Dallas Center, Iowa, Rocky Ford, Colorado, and Plattsburg, Missouri, where her father pastored the local Church of the Brethren. She graduated from high school in Plattsburg, Missouri, in 1944. Following graduation, she enrolled in McPherson College, where Dr. Coppock received her AB degree from McPherson College in 1948. Early in her life, Doris developed a love of sports at a time when opportunities in sports for girls and women were quite limited. That interest defined her career and was the focus of her graduate studies at the University of Iowa (Master’s Degree, 1954, and Doctoral Degree, 1964).

When Doris joined the faculty of McPherson College in 1950, she began a long and impressive career championing women’s athletics at the college level, as well as playing a key role in the physical education and sports activities of both women and men on the campus and contributing to the development of women’s sports nationally.

Dr. Coppock’s career at McPherson College was one of service and leadership. She taught in the physical education department from 1950 to 1992 and was chair of the department from 1964 to 1992. She coached all the women’s sports the college offered and coached men’s golf and assisted in track and field. She coached the women’s tennis team to back-to-back conference championships in 1976 and 1977 and was named KCAC Coach of the Year in both of those seasons. She was a competitive tennis player herself.

Dr. Coppock received a Distinguished Service Award from McPherson College in 1985 and the Citation of Merit in 1993, and she was inducted into the McPherson College Hall of Fame in 1999.

Dr. Coppock also contributed to women’s sports statewide and nationally. She served as NAIA women’s basketball national chair for two years and sat on the National Examinations and Ratings Committee when the decision was made to change from six to five players and the 30second clock was introduced. These rules changes have shaped the modern game of women’s basketball. She was presented with the Honor Award from the Kansas Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1980 and inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame in 1993 where she was noted for her “Outstanding Achievement and Meritorious Service.”

Describing her philosophy of teaching and coaching, Dr. Coppock stated, “I’m not sure I thought about my legacy while I was coaching. I always just wanted to be fair, give students a chance to achieve, and enjoy their experience.” She was widely appreciated as a coach and mentor. McPherson College student athletes continued to visit her even after her retirement. Among the many comments shared about her by students in response to the announcement of her death, these are examples: “She was my tennis coach, teacher, inspiration and friend…” and “Even for those of us with little athletic ability, she never made us feel like a failure.” Following her retirement from McPherson College in 1992, Doris continued as an especially active alumna. Her donations to the college funded tennis facilities which bear her name.

Dr. Coppock was an active member of the McPherson Church of the Brethren, serving terms as board chair, moderator, choir director and camp counselor, and of the McPherson community, where her extensive musical abilities were widely appreciated. An accomplished vocalist and conductor, she led and sang in numerous choral groups in the community as well as at the college. Doris served as a church choir director for various churches in McPherson, including the Lutheran Church (1956-1963), Presbyterian Church (1964-1977), and Methodist Church (1978-1989). As an accomplished brass instrumentalist, she played in college and community bands and brass choirs. In 2020, she was honored by the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) for her contributions in music.

Throughout her many years of retirement, Doris enjoyed a full range of sports as well as musical, and theater activities at the college and in the community. She could be counted on to attend sports activities and continued to provide “notes” of advice to coaches and athletes. She continued to participate in sports activities herself, including downhill skiing and tennis in her early retirement and in her last years, golf and bridge.

Dr. Coppock’s life is a model of a life well-lived. At a celebration honoring her life not many days before her death, she spoke movingly about her mission to advance opportunities for women in athletics, and in appreciation of those individuals and organizations working to achieve that goal. 

Doris Coppock is survived by her nieces Jan Wright and Wendy Nottage (Graeme) of Christchurch, New Zealand, and their families, and by many cousins.

A memorial service for her will be held at the McPherson Church of the Brethren on December 16, 2024, at 2 pm. The public is invited. A private inurnment service will take place in the morning. To view a livestream broadcast of the service, PLEASE CLICK HERE

In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor can be made to McPherson College, McPherson Church of the Brethren, or the McPherson CASA, an organization for which she volunteered, all in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.