Tom Copeland, an American politician and member and speaker of the Washington House of Representatives, died on December 8, 2025, at age 101.
Born Thomas Lenox Copeland in Pendleton, Oregon, on April 17, 1924, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a tank destroyer commander in Europe and later remained with the Army as an administrator, rising to captain.
He graduated from Washington State University with a degree in agricultural engineering. A Republican, he was elected to the Washington House in 1957 representing District 11 and served until 1972, including as whip, minority leader, and speaker pro tempore. In 1972, he retired to run unsuccessfully for the Washington State Senate.
Thomas Lenox Copeland (April 17, 1924 – December 8, 2025) was an American politician from Washington.