Meet The Woodsman, Don Danford

Older gentleman holding a wood carved item with a 1st place bow on it

Carving Out a Wonderful Life at Copeland

When Don Danford looks at a piece of wood, he sees an image. “Carving is easy,” he says. “Just whittle away what doesn’t belong and the image appears.” Two years ago, when Don looked at Copeland Oaks, he saw home. 

  • Don enjoys villa life with wife Carol and their Shih Tzu Mindy
  • Facilitates the Copeland Oaks Carvers club
  • Won 1st Place at the 2017 LeadingAge Art Competition
  • Restores old cars and trucks


Why Copeland Oaks?

Don and Carol said they moved to Copeland Oaks because they heard great things about the campus lifestyle. “Moving to Copeland is one of the best things we’ve ever done,” Don says.

Don loves the community. As a retired policeman and water plant superintendent, he enjoyed serving the public. While repairing water lines, Don discovered an old gnarled wood that intrigued him, so took it home and carved it into a coiled snake. That’s his hobby, creating walking sticks for friends and even a life-sized bear now exhibited at the University of Mount Union Nature Center. To keep busy in winter, he restores antique cars and trucks, including a 1932 Model A truck. He cruises around Copeland Oaks with Carol and Mindy in a golf cart that he turned into a replica of a Jeep Wrangler.

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