About us.

About the Cupples

The modern history of this family begins with Abraham I. Coplevitz (1886–1936) and Rose Ratinoff (†1935), whose lives bridged the old world and the new. In early records, the surname is Coplevitz, a name carried from Eastern Europe and shaped by language, culture, and community.

As their children built new lives in America, the name began to change. For their eldest son, Morris “Pat” Kapilovich (1909–2006), the surname evolved into Kapilovich—a phonetic shift reflecting both the sound of the original and a desire to adapt to American life. Their youngest son, Bernard L. Cupples (1918–2005), adopted the name Cupples—a further simplification that was easier to spell, pronounce, and remember in mid-20th-century America.

These changes were common for immigrant families in the early to mid-1900s. Sometimes names were altered by school officials or clerks; other times, they were changed by choice, to better fit into the social and professional landscape. In our family, all three names—Coplevitz, Kapilovich, and Cupples—are branches of the same tree, sharing the same heritage, traditions, and stories.

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The Kapilovich Branch

Morris “Pat” Kapilovich married Grace Ann Minelli (1914–2000). They had:

• Roslyn Ann Kapilovich (1943–1998), married William C. Matthews (1943– )
  • Michael W. Matthews (1970– )
  • John Morris Matthews (1974– )
  • Jennifer K. Matthews (1975– )

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The Tarchis Branch

Betty Coplevitz (1910–1997) married Jack L. Tarchis (1909–1976). They had:

• Arthur Tarchis (1937– ), married Nessa I. Goldstein
• Elaine Tarchis (1940–2016), married Myron Sugerman (1938– )

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The Coplevitz Branch

Joseph J. Coplevitz (1913– ), married Rheda Potts — no children listed in current records.

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The Bernard Cupples Branch

Bernard L. Cupples (1918–2005) married Shirley E. Horwich (1919– ). They had:

• Jeffery Marc Cupples (1948–2025)
• Robert Allen Cupples (1951–2025), married Ilene G. Sulentic
• Richard C. Cupples (1953–2010), married Patricia Gillespie (1951– )
  • Shawn Cupples (1986– )

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The Jack Cupples Branch

Jack Cupples (1905–1986) married Hazel I. Lichtenstein (1908–1994). They had:

• Ronald Cupples (1931–2002), married Elisabeth Pollak (1932–2022)
  • Gary M. Cupples (1953– )
  • Marilyn K. Cupples (1955– )
  • Stephen E. Cupples (1955– )
  • Jay Cupples (1960– )
• Elaine Rose Cupples (1937– ), married Clifford Gelber (1936–2022)
  • Carolyn Gelber (– ), married Jack Ratcliff (– )
  • Debbie Gelber (– )
  • Brad Gelber (1975– )
• Alan I. Cupples (1940– ), married Lynne Kay Draxler (– )

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Complete Cousin List Across All Branches

From the branches of Abraham and Rose, and the connected Jack Cupples line, the cousin network includes:

Michael W. Matthews, John Morris Matthews, Jennifer K. Matthews, Arthur Tarchis, Elaine Tarchis, Jeffery Marc Cupples, Robert Allen Cupples, Richard C. Cupples, Shawn Cupples, Gary M. Cupples, Marilyn K. Cupples, Stephen E. Cupples, Jay Cupples, Carolyn Gelber, Debbie Gelber, and Brad Gelber.

These names represent decades of family history and connection, from the oldest generations born in the 1930s to those who carry the story forward today.

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A Shared Heritage

Though the surnames differ, the roots are the same. Whether one signs their name Coplevitz, Kapilovich, or Cupples, each is part of a single story—one of migration, adaptation, resilience, and the enduring bonds of family.

Adding Your Branch

Currently Im mostly tracking this via a large tree at ancestory.com, you are welcome to message me there or the my the last name at gmail and we can try to connect the branches.