10/05/2026
May Steve rest in peace and rise in glory.
Stephen P. Copp Sr.
Stephen Paul Copp Sr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, veteran, and longtime public servant, passed away peacefully on October 2nd, 2026 at the age of 81.
Steve was born in Corning, NY on February 23, 1945 as the eldest of four children to Clyde and Marion Copp. He grew up in the village of South Corning and was a proud member of the last graduating class of Corning Free Academy in 1963. He later earned an Associates Degree in Applied Science in Nursing from Corning Community College.
On February 14th, 1969, Steve married the love of his life, Laura Smith. Together they built their life in
Corning, where they raised their children before relocating to Bath, NY.
Steve proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1966 to 1968 as a Navy Corpsman attached to the United States Marine Corps. During his service in Vietnam, he was wounded during the Battle of Hue and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Following his military service, Steve began what would become a long and distinguished career in
Emergency Medical Services. He joined the Corning Ambulance Service as a Critical Care Emergency Medical Technician and became one of the first 650 paramedics in New York State once the paramedic certification classification was established and he earned his second Associated Degree in Applied Science from Corning Community College. Steve dedicated much of his career to developing the Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Fly Car program, the first of its kind, to bring life saving care to rural communities.
After retiring from the ambulance service in 1995, Steve continued his commitment to EMS. He worked for five years as a Registered Nurse with the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office and then spent another 10 years at Watkins Glen International Race Track, serving as their EMS Weekday Coordinator.
Perhaps one of Steve’s greatest contributions was the knowledge and experience he so willingly shared with others. For 29 years, he served as an EMT instructor, teaching fire, ambulance, and security personnel throughout the region. He helped educate thousands of EMTs across the Tri-County area, leaving behind a legacy that lives on through the countless lives he saved, the people he taught and the lives that they, in turn, helped save.
In 1992, Steve was elected Steuben County Coroner. He served in that position for more than three decades, earning and maintaining the trust of the residents of Steuben County until his final retirement in 2024.
While Steve’s professional accomplishments were many, his greatest pride was his family. His heart
belonged to Laura and their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Outside of work, he cherished time at Keuka Lake, fishing, hunting, and making memories with those he loved. To his family, he was simply Dad, Grandpa, and Papa - and those are the roles he treasured most. Steve is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Laura Copp, his children, Stephen Copp Jr. (Correna), Candice Hill (Vincent), and Francis Copp (Jeanne); his grandchildren Stephen Copp III, Sierra Copp, Colton Copp, Hayley Copp, Mikayla Leonard, Zachary Copp, Daniel Patchen, Nicholas Copp, Mckenna Hill, and Maeve Hill; four great grandchildren, and many loving members of his extended family.
He was predeceased by his parents, Clyde and Marion Copp; his mother-in-law, Ida Galusha; and his siblings, Lynn Copp and Pamela Copp.
Steve leaves behind a legacy of service - to his country, his community, his profession, and above all, his family. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Visitations will be held at Bond - Davis Funeral Home 107 E. Steuben Street, Bath, NY on Monday October 5th, 2026 from 5pm - 7pm and Tuesday October 6th, 2026 from 10:30am - 12:30pm, with services being held following calling hours at 12:30, burial with Military Honors will follow at Bath National Cemetery.
