Carmen Copple-Silva

Carmen Copple-Silva, age 56, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 8th, 2018 in Los Angeles at UCLA Medical Center. Carmen was born on September 29th, 1961 in Sacramento, CA, to Dave and Toby Copple. She attended Oral Roberts University, graduating with a nursing degree in 1984 and worked as a Neonatal ICU nurse until marrying Richard Silva in 1988 in Monterey, CA. Rich and Carmen had two fantastic daughters, Sharon, born in 1990, and Katie, in 1996. Carmen was an outgoing and beautiful woman who was always everyone’s greatest cheerleader and took great joy in giving. She had a lifelong love for charitable endeavors, for giving back and for music, namely singing, and travel, doing it all with an impeccable sense of style and fashion.

Above all, Carmen lived for seeing God move. She spent considerable time ministering to people and giving them hope through her testimony. She later found a new purpose––her advocacy for “a world with more birthdays” serving on the Board of Directors of the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation. She helped fundraise for UCLA’s cancer research, supporting all kinds of cancer but especially Multiple Myeloma, the cancer she valiantly fought with grace and dignity for eight years. Even in her last days when she could hardly speak or communicate, she chose to praise God and pray for others. Her most common words during this time were “Jesus is good.” She knew the Word of God as well as anyone and believed God had a “thousand ways to set you free” as quoted in Psalm 130. She is now experiencing this freedom to the fullest.

She is survived by her Mother, Toby Copple, brothers Mark and Tim, and her daughters, Sharon (27) and Katie (22) and many devoted friends and family members.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to advance cancer research at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Donations may be directed to the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation, Attn: Melissa Brody; 8-950 Factor Bldg, Box 951780, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1780; (310) 206-0675; www.cancer.ucla.edu/donate <http://www.cancer.ucla.edu/donate%22%20%5Ct%20%22_blank>. Please note that your gift is in memory of Carmen Copple Silva.