Catherine was one of three children, born to John and Helen Barker. She grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, attended local schools and the University of Tulsa. She met her husband, James Copeland, at the University. Catherine and James became the parents of 6 children, Christopher, Todd, Craig, Jeffrey, Jennifer, and Alison. There are 13 grandchildren. Catherine was an athlete, who competed in swimming and diving as a teenager, and taught her children to swim at an early age.