Ninth Generation

14505. Ronald Monroe Coffey was born on 6 July 1928 in Kalama, Cowlitz Co., WA.²⁸⁹³ Ronald died at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Riverside Co., CA on 28 March 2008 and was buried at Kalama IOOF Cemetery in Kalama, Cowlitz Co., WA in March 2008 .³⁹⁸⁶²

Funeral services will be held for Ronald Monroe Coffey at Monday, March, [sic] 2008 at the Kalama Community Building, 126 N. Elm St., Kalama, Washington.

Ron was born July 6, 1928, in Kalama, Washington to Darrel and Callie Coffey and passed away at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, on March 28, 2008 at the age of 79.

Ron joined the Marines shortly after graduating from Kalama High School, Kalama, Washington in 1946. After basic training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California, he was stationed in Seattle, Washington until 1948, when he enrolled at Willamette University in Salem, Orgon.

In November 1950, Ron was recalled and deployed to Korea, where he served his country until November 1951, making lifelong friends that he cherished until the end.

After his military service, Ron returned to Willamette University and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1953. It was while at Willamette that he met and married Charlotte Moffitt in August 1952 and together they returned to Kalama, Washington so Ron could help Darrel, his father, convert the Kalama Telephone Co. to dial service.

Ron began his career at the company as an installer, moving on to repairman, central office technician, lineman, office manager and owner. After his father's retirement in 1968, Ron continued to operate the company until his own retirement in 1992. Ron was very involved in the telephone industry, serving on numerous boards and was the Washington Independent Telephone Association president from 1974 to 1977.

Ron was known for his progressive service and was the first to offer such new technologies as mobile telephones, buried cables, paging and direct distance dialing. He was even better known for the multitude of friends and colleagues whose admiration and respect he gained over his many years in the industry.

One of Ron's many awards was Citizen of the Year, bestowed on him by the Kalama Chamber of Commerce in 1992.

Ron married Choon "Shim" Reese on March 16, 1992. Together they enjoyed playing golf, visiting friends and family, traveling and spending time at their winter home in Indio, Califonia. Ron was an avid sports fan and enjoyed sailing, snow skiing and tennis. He was an accomplished woodworker, making many treasured toys and projects for his extended family. His love for books was surpassed only by his love to share what he found within them.

He is survived by his wife, Shim, at home; his sister, Catherine Applegate of Kalama, Washington; his brother, Dennis Coffey of Kalama, Washington; his sister, Carolyn Reynoldson and her husband, Mike, of Kalama, Washington; his children, Gretchen Procop and her husband, Glenn, of Kelso, Washington, Pam Miller and her husband, Dood, of Kent, Washington, Kurt Coffey and his wife, Carla, of Kalama, Washington, Sigrid Gordon and her husband, Wayne, of Carlsbad, California, and Kelly Sanders and her husband, Dave, of Maple Valley, Washington; his grandchildren April (Procop) Krapfl, Trevor and Brett Procop, Rachel Dreyer, Emily Doad, Tristan and Bridget Coffey, Nathan Elliott, Taylor and Jacob Gordon and Lindsay, Collin and Riley Sanders; his great-grandchildren Mackenzie and Brianna Krapfl, Aidan and Liam Procop, Ashley, Cambrey and Kade Procop, Alexa Bigby and Avery Taylor and Ivy and Archer Boad; and numerous nieces and nephews

Contributions can be made to one of Ron's favorite charities: Kalama Community Learn to Swim, P.O. Box 1133, Kalama, WA 98625; Give 2 the Troops, 2694 Maplewood Drive, Longview, WA 98632; or the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, NY 10023. 

A living couple was married in 1952 in Oregon.³⁹⁸⁶³ Living (private).

A living couple was married in 1992 in Reno, Washoe Co., NV.³⁹⁸⁶⁴ Living was born in 1940.