On August 28, 2026, Mike Coplien departed his earthly body and began his next chapter. He died peacefully at University Hospital in Madison with family at his side. Mike was known for being welcoming, generous and friendly, a computer guru, movie afficionado, audiophile and music fan. However, his greatest role was devoted husband, in which he was unwavering throughout more than 42 years of marriage.
Michael Bruce Coplien was born in Brodhead, Wisconsin where he attended public school and graduated from Brodhead High School in 1975. Pursuing his interests in music and electronics he found work as the sound engineer for a band with the goal of being able to afford to attend university. During a road tour in the Summer of 1978, a car he was riding in was involved in an auto accident that resulted in multiple life-threatening injuries. He miraculously survived the accident but was hospitalized for many months. He recovered from the contusions and broken bones but had suffered a spinal cord injury that left him permanently unable to walk.
Mike was a charter patient of the “new UW Hospital” moving from the old hospital on University Ave to the “new” hospital in March of 1979. During his 6 months of rehabilitation, he met a young Kimberly Loucks through friends. They reconnected in 1982 when they were both attending University in Madison. They were married at the First Unitarian Society in January 1984.
Mike enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and pursued a BS in Business, Math, German, Computer Science and Chemistry. As an undergrad, he worked in the organic chemistry lab. His interests in electronics and the recently invented personal computer helped the lab modernize the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. His skills ingratiated him with many of the department’s grad students. As a result of this work, he became an expert in object-oriented programming, data structures, and computer hardware which launched his career building custom high-end PCs, trouble-shooting and PC repairs, and later, designing networks for small businesses.
Generosity and kindness were not cliches with Mike. During his years at the Chemistry department, he often helped cash-strapped grad students with a meal or a place to crash. This was the beginning of his (sometimes deleterious) habit of befriending and assisting people he met who were experiencing “tough times.” He truly lived and breathed Matthew 25:35-36 throughout his life enriching not only those he helped but everyone who knew him.
Mike loved to travel and pursue adventures even though this became more and more difficult as he aged. He enjoyed eating at restaurants, attending concerts and going to the theater and
sporting events. His preferred mode of travel was on the road but despite the difficulties, he flew to Hawaii four times!
Mike was predeceased by his parents Mary Margaret (Searles) and Burton Coplien and his sister Roseanne Bartosh. He is survived by his loving wife Kimberly (Loucks) Coplien, sisters Barbara (Richard) Niedermeier and Laura Coplien, and brother Scott Coplien; his nieces Rebecca Peterson, Joanne Topp, Amy Synesael, Jessica Graham, Elizabeth Neidermeier, Emily Loucks and Lucy Robbins and nephews Robert and Ronald Topp, Mathew and Andrew Niedermeier and William Loucks; his brothers-in-law Eric and Ted Loucks and their spouses Mary Loucks and Tina Robbins along with many great, and great great, nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his two furry babies he loved dearly, Matt and Missy.
A service will be held on October 29th, at 11AM at Blackhawk Church, 9620 Brader Way, Middleton, WI 53562.
Mike believed in honest, fact-based reporting and was a big fan of The News Hour. The family encourages those wishing to honor Mike to consider donating to PBS or their local PBS station. You can support News Hour directly at www.pbs.org/newshour/support.