Timelines

Mike's LifeLibby's Life
February 22, 1940 - Michael Richard Copeland born in Pasadena, California October 20, 1938 - Elizabeth Read Payne born in Owensboro, Kentucky
1948 - Mike nearly drowns, his life saved by lifeguard Vinnie Hicks at Winnetka, IL beach  
1950 - Mike's family moves to Wilmette, Illinois  
September, 1950 - Mike meets Karen Swanson at the First Congregational Church of Wilmette  
September, 1954 - Mike attends New Trier High School July 30, 1955 - Libby's father dies of Parkinson's Disease
January, 1956 - Mike's family moves to farm in Wilson, IL, and he attends
Libertyville-Fremont High School
1956 - Libby graduates from Owensboro High School and
attends Murray State University
Spring, 1958 - Mike and Dick Hill win Conference Tennis Doubles Championship  
September, 1958 - Mike graduates from LFHS and attends Coe College, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa  
November, 1958 - Mike's family moves from farm to Evanston, Illinois  
April, 1959 - Mike meets Janet White (his first romance) at Coe's "Flunk Day"  
June-August, 1958 - Mike works as summer camp counselor near Cedar Rapids, visiting Jan on alternate weekends  
April, 1959 - Mike leaves Coe, unable to pay his fraternity dues obligation  
May, 1959 - Mike gets a temporary(?) job working in the Stockroom of
Field Enterprises Educational Corp (FEEC).
 
August, 1959 - Mike transfers to the Systems Department, soon becoming the youngest working computer programmer in the USA  
September, 1962 - Mike meets Libby at a party he and his roommates host in Evanston, followed by 3 or 4 dates September, 1962 - Libby meets Mike at a party he and his roommates host in Evanston, followed by 3 or 4 dates
February, 1963 - Mike joins the Illinois Air National Guard, is sent to "Basic Training" in
San Antonio, Texas
 
March, 1963 - Mike gets "What's going on?" card from Libby Payne and forgoes an off-base activity to write 2500 word reply  
August, 1963 - Mike returns to Chicago from Active Duty and immediately starts to (intensely) date Libby.   
September, 1963 - Mike proposes to Libby...and she accepts!  
Mike and Libby's Life Together
May 23, 1964 - Libby and Mike get married, at the First Congregational Church of Wilmette, Illinois.  After a reception held in his parents's apartment, they have a short honeymoon in Rockford, Illinois.
May 30, 1964 - Mike and Libby first live in a 4th floor walk-up apartment in Evanston, Illinois.  
Fall, 1965 - Mike starts travelling for FEEC, often going to Phoenix to visit General Electric's computer plant there.  He develops fondness for Phoenix.
December, 1965 - Libby becomes pregnant, although still working at Clissold Publishing in downtown Chicago.  Mike and Libby both commute to their jobs in Chicago.
Spring, 1966 - The 4-flight climb to their apartment becomes too arduous for Libby and she retires from Clissold.  
July 25, 1966 - Regan Elizabeth Copeland and Rebecca Payne Copeland are born...twins being a complete surprise to all.
Fall, 1966 - The family moves to a first-floor apartment in downtown Evanston.  
January 26, 1967 - Chicago is hit with a record-setting blizzard (23" of snow); Mike foolishly (and unnecesssarily) goes to work, finding the whole company (FEEC) shut down.  
June, 1973 - After 3 years of negotiations with GE/Honeywell, Mike accepts a job offer with Honeywell Information Systems in Phoenix, Arizona, where they purchase a house.
July 5, 1973 - The family sells their house in Wilmette and moves to Phoenix, Arizona.  Their neighbors across the street are Mike & Bernadette Fallaw.
September, 1978 - Mike and Libby join a large tennis club (Top Seed Tennis Club), playing tennis and developing many friendships.
August, 1985 - Mike starts teaching Pascal Programming in evenings at Phoenix College.
April 4, 1988 - On an afternoon bicycle ride, Mike is hit by a car and is badly injured.  Full recovery takes almost 7 years.
February 3, 2000 - After working for Honeywell/Bull for 27 years, the dying company's employment dwindled from 2500+ to less than 300, and Mike is laid off.  
October 8, 2000 - Mike lands a new job at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona (which is much nearer his home).
March 29, 2001 - Libby and Mike sell their house in Phoenix (after 28 years) and move to a 14th floor condo in a downtown high-rise, Regency on Central.  
Fall, 2001 - Libby joins the Phoenix Country Club (for business reasons), with Mike as "the spouse member".  Mike starts playing tennis again, after a 13 year hiatus.
July, 2006 - Offered a chance to purchase a penthouse unit, Mike and Libby sell their condo and move to the 22nd floor, facing downtown Phoenix.  
December 29, 2006 - Mike officially retires from a forgettable and unhappy 6+ years at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona.  
August 28, 2008 - Following a cruise vacation in Europe, Regency on Central is hit by a tornado, almost destroying their condo.  
March, 2010 - Mike starts volunteering at the Phoenix Airport, becoming a Navigator, also putting him in contact with a tennis "drop-in" group at the Phoenix Tennis Center.
March 29, 2012 - After playing tennis under adverse conditions, Mike "blacks out" and drives into a large utility pole, destroying his car and incurring a 4 day hospital stay.
With his brain injury history, his driver's license is suspended for 6 months.
October 23, 2012 - For several reasons, Libby and Mike sell their penthouse condo (needing 2 years to do so) and move to the famed Arizona Biltmore area.  
July 18, 2018 - Libby's sister, Adelaide Brennan, dies from cancer.  Mike, Libby, Regan and Becky attend a memorial for her in New Orleans, one month later.
February, 2019 - Although retiring, Libby accepts a large work project in Hawaii, allowing her and Mike a week-long vacation trip.  The job takes about 10 months to complete.
March, 2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic forces the City of Phoenix to suspend Mike's Navigator program at the airport.  The 18 month pause is very difficult for Mike.
May, 2021 - Invading her retirement, an old client begs Libby to accept a new job, in Prescott, AZ.  Although lucrative, the job requires much work and pressure, and Libby changes her business to only consulting.
February 24, 2022 - Afraid of falling in tennis, Libby takes up PickelBall...and promptly falls, breaking both wrists.
November 21, 2022 - During a nap after his Navigator shift, Mike experiences 2 Grand Mal seizures and is hospitalized for 3 days.
[return]

Last Updated: March 11, 2023