Dr. Michael “Mike” Stephen Kopenits

Dr. Michael “Mike” Stephen Kopenits
Dr. Michael “Mike” Stephen Kopenits

Dr. Michael “Mike” Stephen Kopenits, 69, of Amarillo, TX passed away September 3, 2020.

Memorial services will be at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church on October 6, 2020 at 2:30 pm with Deacon Henry Wilhelm officiating. Burial will take place in New York. Family requests those attending the memorial service to please wear a mask.

Mike was born in Buffalo, New York on August 20, 1951 to Michael and Jean Kopenits. Being his Dad was in retail, he spent his childhood years living in several areas of New York. While in high school he met his wife to be Christine and they have been together ever since. They graduated from Kent State University together and were married a year after. Mike went on to further his education and completed his Dental Medical Doctor (DMD) degree at the University of Pittsburgh. He spent 20 years in the dental profession. Within that time, they had 3 children, two daughters and a son. Mike was very involved with his children’s lives and their sports. Whether it was skiing down a mountain, taking a trip to the ocean, coaching their sports teams, attending all their games, being part of the booster clubs or just hanging out with them. He also became a softball umpire, a basketball referee and with his love of rock music, a DJ on a local rock radio station. He also loved to cook and he and Christine owned and operated a restaurant for several years. A favorite pastime was golf and he played a round as often as he could whether with his wife, his son or his golfing buddies. Wanting to get back in the medical/dental field, Mike was hired on as an Anatomy & Physiology professor at Amarillo College where he spent the last 17 years. There he took great pride in his students and their successes. He retired from the college in December 2019.

Mike was preceded in death by his grandparents; his parents, Michael & Jean Kopenits; and his brother, Mark Kopenits.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Christine; daughter, Keri Juarez; son, Michael Kopenits lll; daughter, Melissa Rogers and husband Christopher Rogers; and six grandchildren, Nathaniel and Kealy Juarez, Ashlyn and Kynzie Kopenits, and Riley and Owen Rogers. He will be greatly missed by all.

22 Replies to “Dr. Michael “Mike” Stephen Kopenits”

  1. You have been on my mind lately and I am deeply saddened and shocked to read of your passing….
    You were such an amazing professor and friend. You were so brilliant and had such a passion for teaching and making sure we all understood A&P. Not only did you have a love for the medical field, you also had such a love for music.. Thank you for showing me some great Blues and for also being a great supporter of my music. I am so sad…… God bless you and your family…

  2. Oh my goodness!!! Dr. K was my absolute favorite professor during my time in nursing school. He was such an amazing person and he will truly be missed!!!

  3. Mike you will be missed. It was a pleasure knowing you and knowing that your love for Chris and your family was an example for all of us. What a great life you had and led and what a terrific example you set for your children. Form your first date with Chris until now you both set an example of a life well lived and loved. May you rest in peace, my friend and brother in law.

  4. I’ll always remember Dr. K and the summer I tried a different biology instructor. Never again! I dropped the class and waited to enroll in the fall semester with Dr. K. A wonderful instructor!!! My condolences to his family. I learned so much from him and thoroughly enjoyed taking his courses. He will be missed. Dr. K!! When I’m analyzing any problems in my life I always ask myself about form and function of each element involved. Thank you for everything ❤️

  5. I’m so very sorry to hear this news today. Dr. K kicked my butt in A&P, but I respected him for it! He was a wonderful professor. My condolences and prayers to his family.

  6. Dr. K is one of those professors that makes an impact on your life. He was tough but fair and would teach you as much as you wanted to learn. I will never forget my time in his classes. I enjoyed him and his mother too. My condolences to his family.

  7. May he Rest In Peace. My condolences to the family. Dr.K was by far one of my favorite instructors. The dedication that he showed to his students and teaching was without a doubt the best. Always willing to help those who struggled. The community has lost a great man.

  8. Dr K.
    Your the one teacher I will never forget. I remember a morning I was running behind barley made it to class and as I am rushing to my seat you just smiled…As I was leaving that day it wasn’t until I was in the parking lot that I realized I had locked my keys in my car…you to my surprise were parked right next to me…As I stood there you asked what I was doing and I told you I was locked out of my car and waiting on the AC cops to unlock my car. Instead of leaving you waited there with me…you had a heart of gold so caring….You will always be my favorite teacher the teacher I learned the most and one that truly cared about his students.

  9. Dr. K, as we all referred to him as, was above and beyond the most challenging professor of my schooling thus far. He was a phenomenal professor and was determined to help his students understand the true science of his class. He was a passionate man who challenged his students daily. He was an honest man and encouraged his students to put forth the effort to earn the grade. I had more
    in common with Dr. K than I knew .. I am in the dental field, I love golf, cooking, and the ocean. Dr. K taught me how to love anatomy and physiology. You will always be remembered!
    My deepest sympathy to his loved ones and family. May the Lord be with you and comfort you.

  10. Dr. Kopenits, it was such an honor to be a student of yours. Thank you for your unwavering determination for your students to succeed. Your passion for medical sciences permeated into me, and now I am two years away from getting my Doctorate as a Nurse Practitioner. I owe many of successes to you, and I am so thankful for you laying a strong foundation in me.

    To the Kopenits family, my deepest condolences for these difficult times. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Rest in paradise Dr. Kopenits.

  11. Chris and Family,

    So sorry to hear about Mike’s passing. We cherish all those wonderful early memories of times together in NH when the kids were young. Although cut short, we hope that all the fond memories of your life’s journey together will help alleviate your sorrow. Our thoughts are with you…..

  12. Mike was an inspired and dedicated teacher who encouraged his students to achieve more than they thought possible. The Biology program at Amarillo College will be better for the role model he provided. May God’s comfort be with his family, In Jesus’s name.

  13. Uncle Mike, you were a great man with a huge heart. Thank you for your generosity and love all these years to our extended family. Thanks for opening your home, sharing your life and helping us all to know what it looks like to enjoy life. We will miss you greatly.

  14. Doc you are going to be missed a lot. Thanks for giving me the chance to get to work with you here in Clovis NM at Doc’s sub park.

  15. Rest in piece Uncle Mike. You will continue to be thought of and cherished much more than i was ever able to tell you. Thank you for all the memories and God bless you.

  16. Dr K! You will be missed sir! I enjoyed having you as my a&p teacher. That sir was a hard class but you were so smart and made it so much fun. You were so passionate about science and how the body works! You got me inspired into the career path I’m currently on! Thank you for the fun times! You will be messed sir! Rest In Peace

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