Remembering Mimi Barash Coppersmith: A Visionary Leader and Champion for Centre County

Centre Foundation joins our community in mourning the passing of Mimi Barash Coppersmith, a trailblazer, philanthropist, and beloved leader whose vision helped shape the heart of Centre County. Mimi’s remarkable influence extends far beyond our organization. Her energy and commitment left a lasting mark on the region she loved so deeply.

“Mimi was a visionary whose passion for community and philanthropy helped lay the foundation—literally—for Centre Foundation over four decades ago. Her leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment as a founder, board member, and donor shaped not just our organization, but the spirit of giving in our entire region. Mimi’s legacy will live on in the lives she touched and the causes she championed. She will be deeply missed.”— Molly Kunkel, President and CEO, Centre Foundation

Founding Force and First Female Board Chair

Mimi was one of the original members of Centre Foundation’s board of directors and made history as its first female chairperson. From the very beginning, she believed in the power of collective philanthropy to transform lives. As she once shared in our 40th Anniversary Impact Magazine, she was “a person who loves to raise money” and used her connections with the county’s nonprofit community to make the case that this new foundation was a worthwhile investment. Under her guidance, the board cultivated gifts that would have an immediate impact, encouraging individuals not to wait for their wills to make a difference.

Her leadership helped establish the Foundation’s strong roots, ensuring that the community would benefit from local generosity for generations to come. In 2017, she was recognized with the prestigious Oak Tree Award for her enduring contributions to the growth and impact of Centre Foundation.

Philanthropy as a Lifelong Calling

Mimi’s commitment to community was as personal as it was professional. Through the Mimi Barash Coppersmith Fund, she ensured Centre Foundation could provide greater funding and services to local charities. Her dedication to empowering girls led to the creation of the Mimi Barash Coppersmith Fund for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, which supports camp scholarships for girls across the region.

Her passion for lifting up women leaders inspired the Mimi Barash Coppersmith Women in Leadership Fund, established in 2017 by Barbara Palmer as a tribute to Mimi’s mentorship and encouragement of women stepping into leadership roles. Each year, a local woman leader is honored with a $2,500 grant directed to the nonprofit of her choice. Past recipients chosen to benefit, Community Diversity Group, Centre Volunteers in Medicine, Discovery Space, and Mid-State Literacy Council.

Mimi also partnered with her daughter Nan to help establish the Bon Bon Fund, which supports State College high school seniors coping with the loss of a parent.

A Legacy That Inspires

Beyond Centre Foundation, Mimi was a driving force for many of our region’s most cherished organizations. She served as president of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, chaired capital campaigns for the Women’s Resource Center (Centre Safe) and the Hemlock Girl Scout Council, coordinated Centre Lifelink’s capital campaign, and served on the Palmer Museum of Art Advisory Board.

Mimi Barash Coppersmith’s life reminds us that leadership is about vision, courage, and a willingness to create opportunities for others. Her philanthropic spirit, dedication to service, and mentorship of future leaders have left an indelible legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.

As we remember Mimi, we honor not only what she built, but the example she set: that one person’s vision can change a community forever.