My name is Mary Parham-Copelan. I am a lifelong resident of Milledgeville, Georgia and have spent 51 years of my life watching Milledgeville evolve from a small town into the city we see today. I am known to many as Mary. My husband, Charlie, and I have been married for ten years. We have a blended family with two daughters and one son. We are the proud grandparents of three grandchildren! My story is neither unique nor different from most people. I was raised by my father, stepmother, grandmother, aunts, and uncles. My father taught me how to work hard and instilled in me a good work ethic. My parents were very young but they gave me so much love. It was my father that showed me how to have a compassionate heart and a strong commitment to helping others. My strong family ties have made me the very family oriented person I am today. My upbringing allowed me to see many the different circumstances and situations that brought me closer to God which ultimately led me to my calling as a licensed ordained minister of the Gospel. Most people know me as Pastor Copelan and I am proud to say I have earned the trust and hearts by so many in our community.
I am the founder and CEO of Word of Life Interdenominational Bible Church. Being the lead servant has made me an active voice in the community and known as a leader who goes out of her way to be a servant first. I have made myself available day and night to serve others. My profession was as a correctional Officer at the Georgia Department of Corrections Women’s Institution, where I quickly moved up the ranks as Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and Adjunct Instructor in the training department. Like many women today, I was a single mother struggling to raise my two children. I worked two and three jobs while also attending college to advance myself and improve the lives of my family. While working with the Department of Corrections I worked at convenience stores, Belk Mathews, Wal-Mart as a cashier, Best Western Hotel as a night auditor, and the Baldwin County Board of Education as a substitute teacher. I am also a licensed Realtor for the past 13 years and employed with Century 21 Old Capitol Realty. I am employed by the Baldwin County Transportation Department as a bus operator, and Foothills Charter School as a Site Director. In addition to my many job duties, I still find time to be active with the 4th Congressional Federation of Democratic for Women as the 2nd Vice President and acting Treasurer. As the Mayor of Milledgeville, I plan to devote as many hours of my day as may be needed to serve the residents to my fullest capacity.
Finally, I am a member of the Georgia Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows on the Local, State, and International Levels. I have held the positions of: State Executive Secretary from 2014-2017, 2017-2018 Key Lady Queen and presently I am the Statistician for the State level as well as the Community Liaison. Being a part of this organization has allowed me to assist with various community service projects. We host an annual day of sharing which has consisted of feeding the Boys and Girls Club, bagging food for Chard Way Food Bank, giving blankets to the Dialysis Foundation for their clients, assisting kidney transplant recipients with donations for their transplants, feeding the Sparta Sheriff Department meals, assisting displaced families with food, clothes, and hotel fees. We also give coats and socks to needy school children as a group effort. As a church leader and concerned clergy, I have also assisted needy families with food, utilities. I utilized my church ministry to assist with a safe house for battered women organizations and have provided hotel rooms for battered women.
One of my top areas of concern is education. I have been instrumental in encouraging high school dropouts to return to school to get their high school diploma or GED. I have been known to pay for students who could not afford the cost of needed courses to complete classes at Foothills Charter High School.
I am a proud product and graduate of the Baldwin County Public School System. I also attained my higher education from Macon State College and University, Beacon School of Theology, Beulah Heights University, and American Bible College. Upon completion of the Master of Divinity program I plan to further matriculate to a Doctoral Program in Leadership. Because I was a product of the Baldwin County public school system, I chose to raise both of my children in the same schools I attended. Both of them are fourth and fifth generation Baldwin High School graduates. My daughter received her Criminal Justice degree from Georgia Military College. My son attended Tennessee State University and Seattle University on full D1 scholarship and later entered the United States Navy as a Petty Officer and received an honorable discharge after serving in Iraq.
My desire and passion as Mayor of Milledgeville is to see our city continue to move forward in a positive and progressive manner that will revive our economic growth and development into a stronger community for future generations of Milledgeville residents. The same way I kept our home town safe for many years, I want to ensure our city is a safe, positive and progressive community where we can raise our families and for the thousands of students and visitors who come study or explore our quaint city and might choose to make Milledgeville their home too!
My goal is to galvanize our loving community, keep our legacy growing and revitalize our city’s economy and infrastructure.
