Eighth Generation

12296. Joseph Merritt Coffey was born on 27 January 1899 in Globe Twp., Caldwell Co., NC.³⁵⁸⁴⁰ He registered for the WWI draft on 12 September 1918 in Watauga Co., NC.³⁵⁸⁴¹ He was a barber by trade. Joseph died on 11 July 1981 at the age of 82 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC on 13 July 1981.^{35842,35843,35844}

Obituary, The Greensboro Record, Greensboro, NC, Jul. 13, 1981, Page 7, Col. 3

Joseph Coffey Sr.

Blowing Rock - Joseph Merritt Coffey Sr.., 82, of Morris St. died Saturday at Blowing Rock Hospital.

Funeral was 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church, where he was a member, with the Rev. Paul Brunner officiating. Burial was in Blowing Rock Cemetery.

He was a native of Watauga County and a retired barber.

Surviving are wife, Mrs. Sue Childs Coffey; sons, Joseph Coffey Jr. of Dysart, Iowa, Richard Coffeyof Dallas, Texas; daughters, Mrs. Beulah Coffey of Blowing Rock, Mrs. Evelyn Hollers of Greensboro; sisters, Mrs. Vienna Harmon of Lenoir; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild.

Joseph Merritt Coffey and Susan Augustus "Sue" Childs were married on 20 December 1922 in Carter Co., TN.³⁵⁸⁴⁵ They^{³⁵⁸⁴⁵} appeared in the census on 7 April 1930 in Hickory Twp., Catawba Co., NC.³⁵⁸⁴⁶ Susan Augustus "Sue" Childs, daughter of Augustus David Childs and Susan Carpenter, was born on 8 August 1899 in North Carolina. Sue died on 7 January 1995 at the age of 95 in Boone, Watauga Co., NC and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC.^{35847,35848,35849}

A version of the Watauga Co. History indicates that Sue was a native of Oregon and, that she and Joseph made their home there for awhile before moving back to Blowing Rock. I have not found Susan in the 1900 census for either state. In 1939, the only census in which she does appear, she reported that she and her parents were born in NC.

Joseph Merritt Coffey and Susan Augustus "Sue" Childs had the following children:

18909	i.	Joseph Merritt Coffey Jr. was born on 20 March 1933 in Portland, Multnomah Co., OR. Joseph died at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., IA on 15 July 2017 and was buried at Dysart Cemetery in Dysart, Tama Co., IA in July 2017 .³⁵⁸⁵⁰ Obituary, The Blowing Rocket, Blowing Rock, NC, Aug. 22, 2017 oseph “Joe” M. Coffey, Jr. was born on March 20, 1933, in Portland, Oregon, the son of Joseph Coffey, Sr. and Sue Childs. He graduated from Blowing Rock High School in North Carolina, received a BA from Wake Forest, and received a Master’s Degree from the University of Northern Iowa. Joe served his country in the United States Navy from 1952 to 1956. He was the principal of Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School for 33 years, and managed the Dysart swimming pool for many summers. Following his retirement, he drove a school bus for Union for 18 years. Joe was a member of the Dysart United Methodist Church, Lions Club, American Legion, Dysart Development Corporation, and Dysart Community Foundation. He also headed the Shoot for the Stars fundraiser for the new aquatic center, was on the Tama County Solid Waste Commission, served on the City Council for multiple terms, served on the Tree Board, was a Cub Scout Master and Boy Scout Leader for many years, and was a past chair of his Church Council. Joe’s favorite things in life were loving his family, loving his job as a principal, woodworking, and serving his community. Joe died at the age of 84 on Saturday, July 15, 2017, at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo surrounded by his family. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Beulah; adopted brother, Richard; and two brothers-in-law, Hardin Coffey and Kenneth Hollers. Joe is survived by his wife of 56 years, Coni of Dysart; a son, Joe Coffey III of Clive; two daughters, Leslie (Steve) Heimbach of Des Moines and Amy (Steve) Dannenfeldt of Urbandale; seven grandchildren, Lauren, Morgan, Paige, Jack, Grace, Quinn, and Brooke; a sister, Evelyn Hollers; two brothers-in-law, Gene (Dena) Hunting and Rand (Jan) Hunting; and many nieces and nephews.
+18910	ii.	Beulah Mae Coffey.
+18911	iii.	Evelyn Flora Coffey.
18912	iv.	Richard Davis Coffey was born on 27 April 1945 in Watauga Co., NC. Richard died in Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC on 28 September 2003.³⁵⁸⁵¹ Merritt and Sue adopted Richard after his mother, Ruby Davis, died. Apparently his father, Worth, who drank heavily, remarried. His second wife died in a house fire.