Frederick C. “Rick” Copeland Jr. died June 18, 2022 in Hartford, Connecticut. He was 80 years old.

He was born in Ithaca, New York on Sept. 2, 1941 to his parents Frederick C. Copeland and Caroline Day Copeland.

He is survived by his wife Susan J. Copeland; his son Timothy F. Copeland and daughter-in-law Kathleen Marie Copeland and their children Addison, Spencer, and Scarlett Copeland; his daughter Eleanor Chester (Chessie) Lawson and her children Jordan, Haley and Preston Lawson; his brother Winsor R. Copeland; his sister Emily C. Leary; and several cousins.

He attended Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts and after graduating from Bowdoin College in 1964, he enrolled in the Business Graduate program at Columbia University, following which he began his successful career in the financial world. His professional acumen and personal appeal drew him to London, England, Houston, Texas and then, with children, to Taipei, Taiwan, and Toronto, Canada as president and CEO of Citibank Canada, before settling in Hartford working as president and CEO of Fleet Bank NA and then as president and CEO of Aetna International, Inc.

During his time in Connecticut, Frederick also held the positions of chairman and chief executive officer for Taiwan Greater China Fund as well as chairman and chief executive officer for SCM Trust. Most recently he worked with Far East National Bank and had just recently retired from his position as chairman of Amerant Bancorp Inc. He was highly praised for his contributions during all of his employments.

In his personal life, Rick was an avid gardener, creating beautiful gardens and landscaping at his homes in Avon, Connecticut, Bayville, Maine, Williamstown, Massachusetts and Woods Hole, Massachusetts He was also a passionate golfer and member at institutions like the Hartford Golf Club and the Boothbay Harbor Country Club as well as the Taconic Club in Williamstown.

Rick volunteered his time and leadership significantly to many organizations such as the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Design and Decorative Arts Council at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, the Connecticut Historic Landmarks Society, and Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Inc. as well as the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. Most recently he was intimately involved in a community effort to revive the property and business of the historic Five Corners Store in S. Williamstown.

Burial will take place in Boothbay Harbor in July followed by a memorial service in September at the Hartford Golf Club. The dates and times of services will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor can be made to the Wadsworth Museum of Art, 600 Main St., Hartford, CT.