Gloria Powell Coppinger

Gloria Powell Coppinger, 96, of Bainbridge, formerly of Lake Seminole, passed away Monday, March 16, 2026.

The memorial service will be held in April at First Baptist Church with Rev. Chris Humphries officiating. Members of Redeemed & Rejoicing Sunday School class will serve as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.bryantfuneralga.com. Memorial donations may be made to: First Baptist Church, PO Box 155, Bainbridge, GA 39818 or Powell-Coppinger-Santoro Scholarship Fund at ABAC, 2500 E. Shotwell Street, Bainbridge, GA 39819.

Gloria Powell was born May 15, 1929, in Donalsonville, GA, the daughter of Charlie & Bonnie Chandler Powell. She was a graduate of Bainbridge High School and Georgia Southwestern. Her work life spanned decades and resulted in many friendships from Faceville School, Southern Airways, Callahan Insurance Agency, and, of course, Bainbridge Machine Shop. Gloria was an active member of First Baptist Church and Redeemed & Rejoicing Sunday School class.

A vibrant presence in her community for 96 remarkable years, Gloria lived a life defined by service, kindness, and quiet generosity. Deeply community-minded, she devoted countless hours to volunteering, offering her time and care at Memorial Hospital, supporting the Lions Club, preserving the past through work with the Decatur County Historical Society, and contributing her energy to the Chamber of Commerce, her church, and many other community efforts. Wherever there was a need, she was there, always ready to lend a helping hand and a warm smile.

She found joy in life’s simple, meaningful pleasures. The garden she tended with Harold was a place of pride and peace, yielding not only beauty but the fruits she lovingly turned into homemade jellies and preserves to share with family and friends. Her kitchen was regularly filled with the aroma of southern cooking and freshly baked delicacies with the recipient already in mind. And if Harold was the “Jack-of-all-trades”, Gloria was the “Jill”. She fished like a pro then walked inside to work on delicate tatting projects that screamed elegance. Her legacy is a Godly example of what a Christian wife and mother should aspire to be.

Survivors include her daughter, Barbara C. Santoro; her grandchildren, Rebecca & Peter and Claire & Colin; her great-grandchildren, Gwendolyn, William, and Elliot; and a host of extended family. In addition to her parents, Gloria was preceded in death by her husband of 75 years, Harold S. Coppinger; her daughter, Connie Jeanette “Jo” Coppinger; and an infant sister.