SPU trailblazer retires: Meet Kerry Copeland of West Seattle

(Photos courtesy Seattle Public Utilities)
By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

March 2nd was the last day of a 30-year career for a West Seattle woman who has been called a “trailblazer” and a “pioneer.” In the beginning, though, the names she was called weren’t so complimentary.

Kerry Copeland has just retired from Seattle Public Utilities, where she was one of the first female water-line workers hired in the 1980s.

Being a water-line worker is being “on the front line.” It’s hard work, with lots of digging, often in difficult weather conditions. When SPU started recruiting women, Copeland was interested because she’s always been very physical and attracted to non-traditional jobs. “One of our tests was digging a 2×2 trench within a certain amount of time. We went to the West Seattle Reservoir to do it, and the place looked like a graveyard because so many groups of people had been digging trenches!”

Copeland passed the test and became one of the first women on the “front line.”

Using battle terminology isn’t entirely off base: Every day was a challenge, and according to Copeland, there were men who regularly said, “We don’t want women here and we’re not going to make it easy for you.”

Because information was regularly shared in the men’s locker room, or the “bull pen,” it was difficult for the women to get information about assignments and work changes. Copeland says, “It was like walking into a man cave.”

Copeland recalls a question she was asked in her first interview, which would be mind-boggling to anyone today: “If a man who doesn’t like women in the workforce is approaching you with a crowbar, what do you do?” Copeland says she didn’t answer this question immediately, not sure it was for real.

So what kept her going? “I knew I could do the job. I would do my best and trusted that there were good people. I had to be able to handle pressing through injustice — it was the right thing to do. I wasn’t going to go away and you take a lot of hits doing that. You have to be able to be uncomfortable physically and emotionally and push through. You have to figure out how to make changes, it’s a lot of responsibility.”

Copeland and the seven other women also joined together for support and information sharing. The women’s locker room became “a safe refuge. It’s how we would survive, vent, bond.” This female support and camaraderie was absolutely necessary in the environment at the time, “You’re setting the tone and breaking rules. Nothing you do is wanted or respected and you had to push back. Being on the front end, we had ourselves, and we’d band together when something needed to change.”

What Copeland began to notice after time was a “balancing” of the work force, and relationship building through commonalities, which she says “women are very good at.” She adds, “we were humanizing the work force. We’d have pancake breakfasts and community picnics. They began to accept the ‘femaleness’ once there was the human element.”

While attitudes at SPU began to change – and Copeland points out that she had a very supportive boss who told her to “show ‘em how it’s done” – that wasn’t always the case when she went to a construction site or project meeting. “I’d be the only woman, and they asked me to be the note-taker. So I did — and then I took the notes with me!” Copeland was also part of a two-woman truck team (unprecedented at that time), and when she and her partner would arrive at a job, they were asked, “When is the person in charge getting here?”

Copeland eventually moved from the front lines into training and was part of SPU’s first leadership and diversity committees.

She’s proud of being a “go-to” person, and having people know that if something unjust was brought to her attention, something would be done about it. She says, “What I did was important and it changed things … I feel good about being used as a reference point.” She also points out that, “My success was due to the folks above me who saw that I could be a change agent. We’ve done some good things.”

While Copeland feels the industry as a whole has made great strides in incorporating and training women as part of the overall work force, she has a concern.

Fewer women are coming into the trades these days, and she’s concerned the “energy level” may shift back to a more negative environment for women.

Though she’s now retired, Copeland still focuses on empowerment for women, teaching martial arts and focusing on personal safety. Looking back, she says that her work experience “was a gift. At the end of the day I knew I was working hard, being sharp and analytical.” In her biography she writes: “I’ve enjoyed these 30 years of cultivating meaningful relationships with remarkable and inspiring co-workers from many walks of life. It has been a richly rewarding experience.”

20 Replies to "SPU trailblazer retires: Meet Kerry Copeland of West Seattle"

  • cathyw March 22, 2012 (3:59 pm)

    Great story! Way to go! Congrats!

  • anotheresident March 22, 2012 (4:42 pm)

    Love this story! My guess is she’s retiring from her job, but not from life…Congratulations~

  • Creekside March 22, 2012 (5:44 pm)

    Good work Kerry, and a great story of perseverance! I am lucky to have not had to endure the kind of crap you certainly did.

  • neighbor March 22, 2012 (6:16 pm)

    Kerry has been quite a trailblazer! She was also the first woman to move into field management, advancing to first woman field Crew Chief and first woman field Supervisor. Looking forward to seeing what she does after retiring from SPU.

  • Fabulousem March 22, 2012 (7:09 pm)

    Very inspiring story! Congratulations, Kerry. I LOVE that top picture.

  • Robin March 22, 2012 (9:02 pm)

    Cool story! Thank you!!!!

  • LivesinWS March 22, 2012 (10:28 pm)

    Congratulations, Kerry! Where do you teach martial arts?

    And what a great story, WSB.

  • miws March 23, 2012 (10:07 am)

    Congrats on your retirement, Kerry, and thanks for your 30 years of hard work for the City! Also, good on you for having the guts to break down those barriers so many years ago.

    .

    Another great story, Keri!

    .

    Mike

  • Tom Griffith March 23, 2012 (10:28 am)

    Keri,
    You did a fabulous job of capturing Kerry’s story. Having been fortunate enough to have worked with Kerry, I can say without reservation that she is indeed a trailblazer who will be sorely missed at the City. Few people have championed the inclusion of women in non-traditional roles like Kerry – her void will be tough to fill!

  • Michelle S March 23, 2012 (10:29 am)

    How cool Kerry !!!

    You are my hero :-)

    Have fun and enjoy yourself, you deserve it!!

    Michelle S

  • Burkhardt March 23, 2012 (12:28 pm)

    Way to go, you are an inspiration Kerry. Have fun!
    ~B

  • Randall Dickey March 23, 2012 (6:41 pm)

    Kerry,
    It was an honor to work with you all these years. You were an inspiration to us all. You encouraged, motivated, and brought out the best in each of us. WIT will not be the same without you.
    Randy D.

  • Roosevelt Smith Sr. March 23, 2012 (7:50 pm)

    Kerry you did an outstanding job,it has been so special to have you as a co-worker and most of all as a friend for these last 30 years. I wish you the very best in your retirement, and as you move on to your new challenges,enjoy! enjoy!!! Remember in retirement every day is Saturday,with a Sunday thrown in. Keep Smiling !!!! It was Fun !!!
    Your lifetime Friend,
    Roosevelt

  • Kayzel March 23, 2012 (9:28 pm)

    I’m impressed with Kerry and wish SPU would honor her by changing those signs to read “People at work” or “Workers on site” – don’t you think?

  • Kerry Copeland March 24, 2012 (8:43 am)

    Thank you, Keri and WSB for the story and all of you for your comments and congratulations. I’ve had a wonderful career with the city, and I’m looking forward to life’s next twists and turns.
    .

    @anotheresident, I am a student of Bob Heinemann and lead instructor for the Women’s Self Defense program at SIMA (Seattle Integrated Martial Arts) here in West Seattle.

  • Lana March 26, 2012 (7:18 am)

    Love ya sis. Brought tears to my eyes. Maybe now you will have time to visit us!

  • Dee from the back country March 26, 2012 (8:40 am)

    Congratulations! Enjoy Retirement every day,hour and second.My wife tells me She recomends retirement with highest regards=7 yrs. retired and still loving every second of every day. Thanks for paving the way,every woman should appreciate your hard work and know about you as the great pioneer who led the way.I enjoyed working with you on WIT events and all the apprenticeship events. You are truely a gift to the Utility and everybody you touched,Thank You.I would love to get into Martial Arts,where do you teach. Live, Love and Laugh a lot.

  • Cassandra Conyers March 27, 2012 (12:42 pm)

    Congratulations, Kerry! Happy to know a true trail blazer. Thank you for leaving a mark and continuing to empower women! Cheers, Cassandra

  • May March 28, 2012 (1:56 pm)

    Kerry, YOU are the real deal! What an inspirational life for EVERYone, not just women! Your qualities of perserverance, commitment to values make it an honor to know you! many congrats on retirement~!

  • Joe Pescatore April 1, 2012 (5:02 pm)

    Congratulations Kerry. I’ve always enjoyed working with you and also thank you for all the help and support you gave me after my accident.

    Enjoy your retirement!

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