Richard Cooley became a politician for the same reason he became an educator.

“I’ve always liked helping people,” he told the Ledger-Enquirer. “… Life happens. I just feel like there’s been a higher power moving me in that direction.”

That direction has resulted in Cooley, 77, becoming interim mayor of Smiths Station after Mayor Bubba Copeland’s suicide.

Copeland killed himself in November, two days after a website reported a story exposing his secret online activity. The revelations included Copeland posting provocative photos of himself dressed as a woman, along with erotic fiction he allegedly wrote under a pseudonym as an alter ego.

Smiths Station’s next municipal election is in 2025. Normally, a special election would be called to fill the mayor’s unexpired term. Alabama law, however, allows the council of small cities such as Smiths Station (approximately 5,300 residents) to appoint an interim mayor if the remaining part of the unexpired term is within two years, avoiding the cost of a special election.

As Mayor Pro Tem, Morris Jackson had the right to succeed Copeland, but he declined the position, Cooley said. Two weeks after Copeland died, Jackson and the three other councilors (George Stringer, Steve Lansdon and Victoria Green) unanimously appointed Cooley, a councilor for 20 years.

Then on Dec. 12, the council unanimously appointed, among five applicants, retired U.S. Army veteran Dwayne Peterson to fill Cooley’s council seat until the next election.

The following Q&A comprises excerpts from the Ledger-Enquirer’s interview with Cooley, edited for brevity and clarity:

How were you notified about Mayor Copeland’s suicide, and what was your reaction?

“I was at home and received a phone call. There were several of them that came in back-to-back. I immediately went into shock, so I just don’t remember who called first.”

How would you describe Mayor Copeland and his impact on Smiths Station?

“He was a friend before either one of us got into political office. I was still teaching at the high school when he was a student there. … He was on the school board for about six years. He had a lot of fire in his belly as far as going out and getting (economic development). We wouldn’t have Love’s (travel stop) or Jack’s if it had not been for him. One of the first things he did as mayor is he wrote all of the Fortune 500 companies a letter and asked them to investigate Smiths Station as a possible place for expansion. The only one that answered was Love’s. … He was very much an on-the-scene presence with most anything we had going on.”

How is Smiths Station healing from his suicide?

“The community has been in shock — all of us — but everything has been very positive from the community. We may not know each other face-to-face or know the names, but we’re all the community of Smiths Station, and we’re pulling together. As the old saying goes, we’ve circled the wagons. I’d say 90%-plus of all the comments that I’ve had from local residents have been very supportive: ‘We’re behind you,’ ‘We’ve got your back,’ that sort of thing.”

Mayor Copeland helped Smiths Station teens organize an anti-suicide campaign when there was a rash of local teen suicides a few years ago. How did he go from that to this?

“I don’t understand it. I really don’t. … I still haven’t come to grips with it myself.”

Two days before he killed himself, he preached at his church that this incident wasn’t going to change his life. Did you see any warning signs that he was at risk of suicide? Did you have any conversations with him that week?

“I did have a conversation with him about it the day that it broke. I felt like he was in a good space at that point in time. I also told him that we’ll weather this. Give it a few days. The news cycle will change, and we’ll move on from this. … I tried to contact him several times on that Friday (the day he killed himself), but he wasn’t taking anybody’s calls, and that’s when everybody got really concerned.”

So what changed between that Wednesday night and Friday?

“I have no idea. … Obviously, he was upset. We all were. But he broke no laws. He had a private life that was drawn out and made a spectacle of. It’s just ridiculous.”

So what will be Mayor Copeland’s legacy?

“A kind, caring individual. A very dedicated mayor who had a great love for this city. … I think the positives far outweigh the negatives. His personal life was irrelevant as far as the city goes.”

What else should folks understand about this situation and the transition period for Smiths Station?

“We’re still here. We’re going to keep pushing to do the best we can for this community. Just remember our high school motto, Panther Pride, and that’s what we’re going to do: keep our pride.”

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, reach out to the 24–hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255; contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741; or chat with someone online at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours.

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