Former WRAL-TV Reporter Brian Bowman
(Currently Public Affairs & Marketing Manager for the City of Wilson, NC)
Mark’s eyes had a way of seeing the world differently. He filled the lens with life, and his funeral was a fitting tribute to that.

My most relaxed liveshots were those in which Mark was behind the viewfinder. The man deserves all the praise he’s getting now.

Mr. and Mrs. Copeland (okay, Miss Johnnie), thank you for sharing your son with North Carolina.

Nephew Matt Miller
Where to begin...Mark Copeland was my uncle. I guess that's a good starting point…I don't know. It took me a few days to even try to figure out where to start or what to write about.

First off, he was very passionate about what he did. Every time I saw him he was showing me a new gadget or footage from some new project he had worked on. It was so good to see him every chance I got.

I remember when we went to Washington D.C. together. We had such a good time going to see all the monuments and staying across the street from the Pentagon. We also got to see an Egyptian dignitary leaving the JFK house.

Another thing I'll always remember is how they don't have Krystal's in Raleigh so he'd get some every time he left his parents' house to go back home...

There's a photo at my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary where I'm taking a picture and Uncle Mark is standing behind me watching with a smile on his face. I'll always keep that picture to remind me of just how much he loved what he did and how he cared so dearly for his family.  

Former Colleague Janelle Booth Clevinger
(Currently owner of Clevinger Creative Services, Inc.,  Wilson, NC)
Mark and I met nearly 20 years ago when he worked for WRAL’s Wilson bureau and I worked for a local video production company. We hired Mark to shoot Steadicam for a United Way video and I was instantly drawn to this man with the infectious smile and dry sense of humor. That day was the beginning of a personal and professional relationship with one of the nicest, kindest people I will ever meet.

There were two things that you could count on when you saw Mark: you knew you’d be greeted with that huge smile of his and that a meal of some sort of meal would be involved.  You would never go hungry when you were with Mark.

I was constantly amazed at how upbeat and calm Mark always was despite the chaos that might be going on around him.  Even if I walked into a room upset about something that had happened to me and had nothing to do with the shoot, he always knew just what to say to calm me down and make me realize that whatever it was, it really wasn’t that bad after all.  Time after time, I watched him have that same effect on everyone.

More than anything, Mark loved his family and he drove the six hour trip to visit them in Tennessee every chance he could.  I gave him a hard time about that (“It’s Groundhogs Day, Mark. Are you in Tennessee?”) but in reality I envied that devotion, dedication and true love.

I have had a few times in my life when, just for a few moments, I have felt completely at peace with the world, that all the “stars have aligned” correctly, and I had not a care in the world.  These moments occur very rarely but one of them happened years ago with Mark.  One evening after grabbing some dinner together, we drove out to the Raleigh Durham Airport for a reason that I can't recall. The sun was setting, the windows were down in his Jeep and neither of us was saying a word. A sky of red and orange was sinking under the horizon and all you could hear was the sound of the wind and the road. It was so simple, but it was a moment of complete peace and contentment that I will always treasure. I was with Mark. And I was safe.

After Mark’s funeral on Saturday, I stood in his parent’s yard and looked out into the Tennessee mountains that he loved so dearly. Behind me, his family and friends shared memories and stories.  In front of me, I watched a deer run across a clearing and I knew Mark was watching over us smiling and saying, "I got you all to Tennessee after all, didn't I?"

I love you, Mark. I can’t wait to see your smile again.

Former Colleague Mark Goodwillie
(Currently of Pelican Productions in Durham, NC)
No matter how bad you were feeling, once you spent even a little time around Mark, you found yourself laughing.

Mastery of his profession is secondary to his wonderful ability to share with others. Always honest, people could count on Mark to pitch in with effort and a wry sense of humor.

I am honored to have known him, learned from him and shared in a small part of his life.
Thanks Mark & "Roll Tape!"

Former Colleague Steve Saxon
I heard the news on Saturday the 15th while working on a job in Greensboro. I was shocked when I heard what had happened to Mark.

It was hard to believe…we never know when something like that is going to happen to us…and for that to happen to Mark was not right.

It made me think a lot more about how we are not in control of the time we will depart…and we had better appreciate what we have from day to day.

I called his cell and left him a message …I said I’m sorry and god bless you. I felt some kind of immediate closure by doing that   Because of the circumstances of not hearing what had happen until several days later and being on a job…it was all I could do for the moment.

Because I’m in Charlotte…I knew Mark mostly over the phone. The last call I had from him was to tell me of his purchase of an HDX-900.

I’m sorry to say this…I actually gave his name out on Friday the 14th to someone looking for a steadicam guy.

I had seen Mark for the first time in 1991 at a race in Charlotte. He had just gotten his steadicam rig. I though wow that is so cool.

Then it wasn’t until years later that I formerly met Mark on a job. He was steadicam and I had the Sony F900. That was July 5th 2004. A discount tire shoot.

That October he called and wanted to rent my camera to shoot b-roll for the Clinton library. So I met him in the Highpoint area on a dark exit and handed over my camera. I did not ask him for in INS certificate or sign any paper having received it…nope …I just trusted him.

Six months later I hired him to help me shoot a music video for a local band in Charlotte. He gave me a break on the cost for having to drive to and from Raleigh.

Later in June that year we work together on the movie “Cold Storage”.  As anyone knows with movie schedules…steadicam ops wait for there call…and Mark and I were able to get to know each other little more.

Mark touched the lives of many people…and I am very sad that this has happen to him…but I know he will remain with us in spirit.