Kopel, Gerald H., 1928-2012.

Born in 1928, Baltimore, MD, surname Koplowitz. Changed last name to Kopel, 1957. Completed service for the U.S. Army Engineers in Panama, 1947. Attended the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1948, journalism major, managing editor of the school paper: Silver and Gold. Married Dolores, 1952. Journalist at the Walsenburg World Independent, Colorado Springs Free Press and The Rocky Mountain News. Active in the AFL-CIO, American Newspaper Guild. Attended University of Denver Law school, 1955-1958. Started law practice with his wife. Served as special assistant attorney general from 1958-1961 drafting bills for the legislature. Active in local Denver politics as a Democrat. Ran for the Colorado House thirteen times, won eleven elections (1965-67, 1971-1977, 1979-1993). Served as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the Statutory Revision Committee, Legal Services Committee, Commissioner on Uniform State Laws, and assistant minority leader between 1983-1988. Retired from the legislature in 1992. Author of weekly political column since 1993 for the Colorado Statesman and since 2000 has written for the Haxtun-Fleming Herald, Rocky Ford Gazette and the Clear Creek Courant. Appointed to the Election Commissioner in 1995. Other awards: Civil Rights Award, Anti-Defamation League, 1991; Distinguished Legislative Award, ACLU, 1992; National Legislative Award, Council on Licensing Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), 1992; 6 awards from the Colorado Press Association. Kopel died in Denver, Colo. on January 21, 2012.