Death of Pietro Emilio Copiz

Pietro Emilio Copiz, Andrews University faculty from 1966–1979, died on Dec. 19, 2020, in Gland, Switzerland. He was born in Sinaia, Romania, on Aug. 23, 1931, but was an Italian citizen all his life.

Pietro obtained his education in Romania, Italy, France, Switzerland (licence en lettres, University of Geneva) and the United States (PhD, University of Michigan). He spoke fluently the languages of the countries he lived in and two additional ones.

On Aug. 14, 1966, Pietro married Herta (Kipp), former staff, in Freudenstadt, Germany. Herta predeceased him on June 30, 1994.

Pietro served first as a teacher and dean of the Institute of French as a Foreign Language at Adventist University of France and as a teacher and chairperson in the Department of Modern Languages at Andrews University (1966–1979). After 20 years as a teacher, he was called to serve as education director of the Euro-Africa Division and retired in Switzerland.

Since he was sick with tuberculosis during his youth, underwent heavy cancer surgery at the age of 57 and lost his wife when he was 63, Pietro tended, during the last part of his life, to exercise what he called a "ministry of consolation" through calls, visits, letters, emails, prayers and concrete help, especially during his retirement years in Gland.

He is survived by two sons, Danilo (BA '96) of Monaco and Stefan (att.) of San Francisco.