Max Copeland Community Service Scholarship

In his red sock and suspenders, the Reverend Max Copeland was easy to spot at local activities, which he attended and supported throughout his life in Marble Falls. The First Baptist Church of Marble Falls minister was such an avid Mustang fan that the stadium installed a red seat among all the purple ones just for the man everyone knew as Brother Max.

“Over the decades that he was around, he was what you would call a true legend,” said Larry Berkman, a longtime friend and member of the scholarship committee. “He was not a legend in the paper and not in popularity, but in the way he lived his life, the way he treated others, the way he wanted everyone to know the Lord and be baptized. He led that kind of life.”

Even after retiring as a full-time pastor, Brother Max continued to minister, despite his failing health over time. He visited hospitals and prayed with people who needed him, even strangers. If someone in a hospital waiting room looked like they needed help, Brother Max went with them and offered it.

“The staff in emergency rooms in four counties knew who he was,” Berkman said. “People counted on him as a security blanket. It’s hard to put that into words, but that was his legacy.”

After Brother Max died in 2015 at the age of 85, the Marble Falls Mustang Community established a scholarship in his name to help students who bes embody the pastor’s best characteristics: commitment, love, and encouragement. Money is raised at designated Marble Falls games, including the annual “Red Game’ when the players wear red socks along with their purple and gold school colors. Members of the First Baptist Church Sunday School classes regularly donate.