MARY FRAZER COPPOCK passed away on Oct. 15, 2008 in Tucson.

Mary was born Dec. 21, 1922 in Modesto, Calif. As a teenager, Mary moved to Long Beach, Calif. where she met and married Leon Frazer (who passed away in 1977) and had two daughters. When Mary was young, she was shy, but it was evident that she was very bright. Mary had always been interested in medicine. With the support of her husband, she entered a new intensive three-year nursing program in 1952. She received high honors upon graduation and became a Registered Nurse. Mary’s leadership abilities were soon identified by others and she was recruited to become one of the pioneers and president of the California State Nurses Association. In her continued pursuit for excellence, she went on to obtain a Nurse Practitioner Certification at the first program offered in the US at BYU.

Mary worked at hospitals and in various other fields of nursing. She taught in the Department of Nursing and was Director of Nurses at California State University, Long Beach, where she retired after 20 years. Mary was highly respected by everyone for her ability, warmth. consideration and tolerance.

Mary also had an insatiable appetite for travel, beginning with travel behind the Iron Curtain in the 1960s. In her lifetime, she traveled to almost every continent in the world. In 1990, after her retirement, Mary moved to Green Valley. She became a member of numerous clubs and organizations such as Kiwanis, Elks, Lions and Opera League. Dr. Ben Coppock and Mary met in Green Valley and married in 2000. The continued to travel together. In 2007, Mary and Ben moved to Tucson.

Mary loved her family and is survived by husband Dr. Ben Coppock; daughters Mary Margaret Carlson (son-in-law James Carlson) and Kathleen Hughes-Cassanova (son-in-law Dr. Joseph Casanova); granddaughters Dr. Luanne Carlson, Kathleen Carlson and Alisa Hughes; and grandson David Hughes.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Bring’s Broadway Chapel, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. at Southern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 1300 Buffalo Soldier’s Trail, Sierra Vista, Ariz.