Joe was born in San Antonio, Texas, on the twenty-fourth of September, 1930, to his parents, Joe W. and Margaret Swift Copeland. He was a Texan, through and through, and he grew up doing the things that were expected of a child on a large Texas ranch; things that today seem unbelievable for children to do. In the already hostile hostile environment of the west Texas desert, the Great Depression was extremely hard on the ranchers and farmers in this region, and this is where Joe's story begins. He grew up in a time when life was simpler, ranch life was challenging, and people appreciated the cherished blessings of many friends and large families.