Ninth Generation

17120. John David Coffey was born on 27 January 1923 in Afton, Nelson Co., VA. John died on 15 December 2011 at the age of 88 in Edinburg, Shenandoah Co., VA and was buried at Cedarwood Cemetery in Edinburg, Shenandoah Co., VA on 19 December 2011.^43639,43640

Obituary, The Shenandoah Valley-Herald, Woodstock, VA, Fri., Dec. 23, 2011

John David Coffey, Sr., 88, of Edinburg, W.W.II Veteran and part of the "Greatest Generation", passed away Thursday, December 15.

The funeral will be held Monday, December 19, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Dellinger Funeral Home in Woodstock. Reverend James D. Baily will officiate. Burial with military honors by Woodstock American Legion Post #199 will follow at Cedarwood Cemetery in Edinburg.

Mr. Coffey was born January 27, 1923 in Afton VA, a son of the late Samuel Preston Coffey and Anna June Hildebrand. After his early childhood in Afton, he later lived in Front Royal and was a 1941 graduate of WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. He then worked for Glen L. Martin Aircraft in Baltimore as a machinist until he was called up for military service in September 1943. He served in Company D, 157th Infantry in Italy, France and near the German border. He was slightly wounded in September, 1944 near Cubrial, France and then critically wounded one month later near Jeanmenil, France, losing his right arm in addition to other injuries. After his release from Walter Reed Hospital, he returned to employment at Glen L Martin.

He then met his one true love, Dorothy Louise Markle and they were married September 22, 1945. He and his wife first owned and operated Coffey's Grocery in Edinburg for a few years; then bought property along the old Creek Road and raised chickens, hogs and a few cattle. In 1954 they moved to their Shenandoah Ave. home and Mr. Coffey went to work for FMC – Woodstock (later Agritech) where he was employed for 37 years. For many years he was a member of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Edinburg.

He is survived by two daughters, Mary Coffey Deavers and her husband Gary of Columbia Furnace, Jonedith Anne Moore and her husband Charles of Picture Rocks, PA; one son, John David Coffey, Jr. of Edinburg; two sisters, Mabel Painter and Paige Gochenour of Waynesboro; and a sister-in-law, Marlene Coffey (widow of Rudolph H. Coffey) of MA; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a little sister, Rebecca Coffey; his brother, Rudolph Hamilton Coffey; and his wife of 56 years, Dorothy, whose passing in June of this year so deeply saddened him.

The family will receive friends an hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Mr. Coffey will be remembered by his children: as the hardest working man any of them have ever known, for his extremely frugal ways, for his beautiful garden, for his appreciation for a good meal, and for his unwavering expressions of patriotism to his country. He wanted everyone to know "He always did the best that he could do".

Mary, Anne and David take comfort in knowing that he will again be together with his wife Dorothy.

Although Mr. Coffey possessed sufficient resources for good medical care, many in Shenandoah County are not so fortunate. The family requests that Memorial contributions be made to Shenandoah County Free Clinic, P.O. Box 759, Woodstock VA 22664.

John David Coffey and Dorothy Louise Markle were married on 22 September 1945 in Winchester (Independent City), VA.⁴³⁶⁴¹ Dorothy Louise Markle, daughter of Charles E. Markle and Mary Marcus, was born on 1 September 1925 in Charlottesville, VA. Dorothy died on 18 June 2011 at the age of 85 in Woodstock, Shenandoah Co., VA and was buried at Cedarwood Cemetery in Edinburg, Shenandoah Co., VA.⁴³⁶⁴²

Obituary, The Northern Virginia Daily on June 20, 2011

Dorothy Louise Coffey, 85, of Edinburg, passed away Saturday, June 18, 2011 at Royal Haven in Woodstock.

The funeral will be held today at 11:00 a.m. at Dellinger Funeral Home in Woodstock. Reverend James D. Bailey will officiate. Burial will follow in Cedarwood Cemetery in Edinburg.

Mrs. Coffey was born September 1, 1925 in Charlottesville, VA, daughter of the late Charles Edward Markle and Mary Marcus Markle. She was a 1943 graduate of Handley High School in Winchester. She was a legal secretary, first paid aide in Shenandoah County Public Schools and Tax Preparer for H & R Block in Woodstock until 1981. Dorothy and her husband were, for many years, members of (now closed) St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Edinburg.

She was a greatly devoted wife to her husband, John D. Coffey Sr. of Edinburg whom she married on September 22, 1945; two daughters, Mary Coffey Deavers and her husband Gary of Columbia Furnace and Anne Moore and her husband Charles of Picture Rocks, PA; one son, John David Coffey Jr. of Edinburg; sister, Carol Whetzel and her husband Carmel of Winchester; brother, James Richard Markle and his wife Kim of Winchester; seven grandchildren, Heidi Nadine Deavers, Nathan Christopher Deavers, Nicole Diane Sanchez, Heather Suzanne Dorman, Charles Coffey Moore, Carroll Presson Moore and Jessie Lee Moore; four great grandchildren, Brooke Anne Dorman, Ryan Sherwood Dorman, Adrien Sanchez and Sara Sanchez and two sisters-in-law, Marlene Coffey of MA and Mabel Painter of Waynesboro. She was preceded in death by brother, Charles Edward Markle Jr.

The family will receive friends an hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shenandoah County Library, 514 Stony Creek Blvd., Edinburg, VA 22824.

Dorothy was a homemaker and seamstress and loved arts and crafts and was very fond of cats. She enjoyed everything that she did for her family especially the many wonderful meals she prepared.