Alvin Mendel Koplin

A Memorial Service for Alvin Mendel Koplin will be held at 12:00 noon on Friday, December 16, 2011 at Temple Beth Israel, 892 Cherry Street, Macon. Alvin Mendel Koplin passed away on November 21, 2011 at Carlyle Place after a brief illness. He was 93 years old and was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Nora Coolik Koplin who died in July 2009. Mr. Koplin, the son of the late Sarah Mendel Koplin and Henry Koplin, was born on January 25, 1918 in Atlanta, Georgia. He moved to Macon in 1919 and graduated from Lanier High School for Boys in 1934 and the University of Georgia in 1938. After graduation from college, Mr. Koplin joined Macon Iron and Paper Stock Company. In 1939, he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Calvary and soon thereafter volunteered for active duty. In February 1942, he was transferred to Marietta, Georgia as Purchasing and Contracting Officer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building and equipping the Marietta Aircraft assembly plant to produce B-29 bombers. On August 9, 1942, Mr. Koplin married Nora Coolik of Reynolds, Georgia. A year later, Mr. Koplin was transferred from Marietta to serve as the Executive Officer in the District Engineers Office in Savannah where he was promoted to the rank of Major. He was honorably discharged from active duty in March 1946 after five years of service and returned to Macon Iron where he was President from 1952 until his retirement in 1986. In addition to his forty-plus years at Macon Iron, Mr. Koplin was the President of Industrial Distributors Inc. d/b/a C.W. Farmer Company (sold to Cameron Barclay Inc.) and he also revived Clean Control Corporation (Warner Robins) and served as Vice President from 1992 to 1997. Mr. Koplin served as President of the Southeastern Chapter of the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel (ISIS), the national trade association for the metal and paper recycling industry. During his tenure on the board, he was for five years, Chair of the Finance Committee, and for seven years, a Trustee of the ISIS Insurance program. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Georgia Business and Industry Council representing the recycling industry. He was President of the Macon Manufacturers Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce and also served as Vice President of the Chamber for Economic Development. Mr. Koplin was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Georgia Industrial Home for 10 years and served on the boards of the United Way, the Salvation Army for 25 years, the First National Bank and Trust Company of Middle Georgia/Trust Company of Middle Georgia/SunTrust Middle Georgia for a total of 26 years. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club. Mr. Koplin was very active in the Jewish community and a member of the Southeastern Board of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. He served as President of the Macon and Middle Georgia Federation of Jewish Charities in 1948, the year Israel was founded. He has served Temple Beth Israel in numerous capacities. Mr. and Mrs. Koplin were quietly dedicated to improving the education and the opportunities for students in Middle Georgia. In 1997, they helped to fund the Bibb County Public Education in Home Technology Fund focusing on the Winship School and the Tinsley School for handicapped children. In addition, Mr. Koplin spent two hours several days a week, during 1998, 1999, and 2000, reading with third grade students at Winship. He was also passionate about, and provided funds to, the Bibb County Recreation Department to install equipment in three public playgrounds for handicap children and TOT seats for all playgrounds in the Bibb County system. He also supported the Macon chapter of the Special Olympics. In April of 2000, he and Nora were co-recipients of the Exchange Club's "Book of Golden Deeds" award and in March 2008, they were honored the Keter Sheim Tov Award (‘The Crown of a Good Name') at Temple Beth Israel. Mr. Koplin is survived by two children, Cary Alexander Koplin and Carla Koplin Cohn; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His youngest son, Dana, died in March 2008. Cary and his wife, Sharon Amsterdam Koplin, live in New York City as do their two sons, Justin and Bryan. Justin and wife, Allyson, have three daughters, Daniela, Emily, and Mirabel. Carla was married to Al Cohn, who died in June 2007, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida. Her daughter, Jennifer and son-in-law Brian Falik, live in New York City and have a daughter, Alexa. The family would like to thank the staff of Harrington House of Carlyle Place. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that gifts in Mr. Koplin's memory can be made to Temple Beth Israel, 892 Cherry Street, Macon, Georgia 31201, or the Macon chapter of Special Olympics, 7013 Moseley Dixon Road, Macon, Georgia 31220, or to a charity of your choice. Register online at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory at the Cupola has charge of arrangements.