Casey Dean Copeland

October 23, 1976 — August 23, 2021

Forever in Our Hearts

“Casey Dean Copeland, 44, of Austin, Texas, passed away unexpectedly on August 23, 2021. His family is deeply saddened by his passing. Casey was born on October 23, 1976 to Carilu Bell and Dean Copeland (deceased) at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. Casey is survived by his mom, Carilu, step father David Bell, and step father Mike Witte, who helped raise him, his sister, Caroline Ziegmann (husband David Ziegmann), younger brother, Marshall Witte, nieces, Presley Grace Ziegmann and Adeline Marie Ziegmann. Casey is also survived by his devoted and loving grandmother, Betty Hendricks, whom he loved dearly and was very close to, as well as his grandfather, Kenneth Decker.” — Stefanie Turner, Mother and Founder of TXAF.ORG

Casey Dean grew up in Lake Travis, attended Lake Travis Elementary, Junior High and High School. He chose to move to Westlake for his Junior and Senior years, where he graduated. He loved playing football in school and one year was nominated Mr. Personality.

In elementary school, he was in the Gifted and Talented program. Throughout his school years, Casey was loved by all of his teachers and coaches. After graduating from high school, he took classes at ACC, then graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos, with a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports and a Major in Health and Fitness Management. He was a Certified Fitness Trainer and was a mentor for many people wanting to improve their health and physiques.

Casey started bartending to help pay for college expenses and continued bartending throughout his life. He was well known in and around Lake Travis, not only because he grew up there but he had also worked at many of the restaurants and bars in the area. Customers couldn’t help but fall in love with his spirit.

Casey was always working out, riding his bike, running, boating or wakeboarding on Lake Travis, and he often played basketball with the same group of guys, dating back many years. A lifelong friend says, “He rode the wakes fearlessly and never without a backwards hat on.” His love of wakeboarding and Lake Travis led him to start an entrepreneurial endeavor, WakeLife LakeGear. Using his incredible creative talent, he designed shirts and caps and could not make them fast enough. He had big visions for the WakeLife brand, but Covid brought it all to a standstill. After Covid hit and his new business was put on hold, Casey left the service industry and began a new career as a Sales & Marketing Rep with Premier Surveying. It didn’t take him long to establish clientele as he quickly gained their business and their trust. He loved his new job and looked forward to his new career with ambition and excitement.

Not one to just sit around, Casey used his free time to begin a new passion, learning to surf. His gregarious personality led him to make many new friends in the surfing community of Surfside, Texas. He finally caught his first wave the Saturday before his passing.

“Texas Born… Texas Bred. When I Die, I’ll Be Texas Dead.”

— Casey Dean Copeland

A few of his friends described him as, “always having a smile, living life to the fullest” and “spreading love, unity, and joy anywhere he went.” “He touched a lot of lives, drove some people crazy, but mostly made people love him. “He was such a loving guy and wasn’t afraid to show it.” One friend observed, “His bear hugs could incite world peace.”

He had an immense passion for Texas Longhorns’ Football, Baseball and Basketball (some say he was born with orange blood). Working out at the gym and running were two of his enduring hobbies. On his 40th birthday, he even ran to the Pennybacker Bridge, spanning Lake Austin, he decided to swim across and then continued with his run.

Casey loved his friends and genuinely cherished music, from Pearl Jam to Kenny Chesney. One of his greatest joys was sharing his love of music with family and bringing them to shows with him.

He was no stranger to getting the party started. If no one was on the dance floor, he had no problem pulling his mom out to two-step. Casey didn’t embarrass easily and was often the center of attention. He adored and loved his dogs, Pearl and Malia, but most of all Casey loved his family. His mom, grandmother, grandfather, stepdads, brother, sister, and nieces will miss him more than words can say and will all be forever touched by the outpouring of love from Casey’s friends.

Casey’s mom, Carilu, describes Casey best as her “orange blooded, lake loving, country music loving, wakeboard loving, fun-charming-charismatic-smart-handsome son.” She is heartbroken beyond repaid at the loss of her first born, “The very first love of my life.”

A friend of Casey’s wrote, “He was forever telling you how amazing you are,” and the family would like to pay forward those words, “In his memory… can we all please take today to tell someone how amazing they are to us?” That’s how he lived his life every day. Making people believe in themselves. Don’t wait… We love you, bubba.

— Carilu Bell, Mother & Founder of AngelMoms