The late Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland’s daughter died on Saturday. Olivia Copeland fell while rappelling off a cliff in Idaho Springs, Colorado. She was 26.
Olivia worked as a climbing guide and was taking a tour through a course on Mount Blue Sky when an accident occurred.
Before moving to Colorado, Olivia attended Olathe Northwest High School and Kansas State University, Fox 4 News reported.
The Copeland family released a statement after Olivia’s passing.
“Olivia was a vibrant, adventurous, and deeply loved young woman whose light and kindness touched all who knew her,” the statement read. “Our family is still in shock, and we are struggling to comprehend this sudden loss, especially so soon after the unexpected passing of her father.”
Councilmember LeEtta Felter gave her own condolences, having a long-standing relationship with the Copeland family.
“Olivia had a spirit made for adventure, and she left this world doing what she loved most,” she wrote on Facebook. “Though our hearts are shattered, we take comfort in knowing she is safe in the arms of Jesus, where her joy is now complete. We can’t imagine life without her, but we will carry her light, her laughter, and her love until we meet again.”
Michael Copeland, who died in office in 2020, was the longest-serving mayor in Olathe’s history. During Copeland’s tenure, Olathe added 18 parks and 29 miles of trails. Copeland also read to thousands of children as part of his “I Read with Mayor Mike” children’s literacy program.
In 2022, the city renamed the Civic Center Park at 250 E. Santa Fe St. to Michael E. Copeland Civic Center Park.
Olivia’s death marks the second time an Olathe elected official’s child has died in recent months. Current Mayor John Bacon’s son Brett died in a traffic crash in August in South Dakota.
