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Elwood C. "Jimmy" Coffey
Elwood C. "Jimmy" Coffey
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Elwood Coffey Obituary
Elwood C.
"Jimmy" Coffey
Elwood C. "Jimmy" Coffey, 71, of Dunromin Road, Charlottesville, died Sunday, September 28, 2008 at the Martha Jefferson Hospital.
He was born April 23, 1937, in Augusta County, a son of the late Andrew and Ethel Coffey.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Juria Coffey, and his sister, Hazel German.
He retired from General Electric after 37 years of service. Jimmy was a skydiver with over 400 jumps. He loved the outdoors, the mountains, and hunting. He also loved NASCAR, the Redskins, but most of all, his family.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Heber (Sensabaugh) Coffey; three children, Cheryl Gustkey and her husband, Jeff, Greg Coffey, and Karen Davis.
Also surviving are his four grandchildren, Carryn, Carey and Chace Coffey, and Alease Davis; four step-grand-children, Kim and Erica Gustkey, Crystal Gibson, and Eddie McCawley; and three sisters, Lovie Brooks, Margaret Cummings and Shirley Crushion.
A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 1, 2008, at McDow Funeral Home, with Billy Coffey officiating. Burial will follow at Augusta Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Jackie Lowery, Jerry Lowery, Jeff Coffey, John David Hailey, Matthew Megginson and Jerry Hanback.
Memorial contributions may be made to the H.O.P.E. Center of Martha Jefferson Hospital and your local S.P.C.A.
Condolences may be expressed online at mcdowfuneralhomeinc.com
This obituary was originally published in the News Virginian.
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Deborah Tower (nee Sensabaugh)
March 26, 2009
Dear Cousin Heber--
Please accept my sincerest condolences on your loss. Take comfort in knowing that now you have a special guardian angel to watch over you.
Regrettably, I don't recall every having met Jimmy, but I sure recall going to great Uncle Sam's home with all the kids in and out. Knowing Uncle Sam and Aunt Louise to be the loving people they were, I can not imagine that your husband would have been any different. I am sure that he is sorely missed.
2nd cousin Debbie (Bubbie's oldest daughter)
Kathy Brown
October 6, 2008
To
the family of my Buddy Jimmy Coffey.
This was truly shocking and sad news to me.
Jimmy was my supervisor at GE Fanuc for serveral years and it was truly
a blessing to have him as a supervisor. He had a nature about him that
could make your lowest day a delightful day with his comical manner.
One day he was doing a housekeeping check in the area and came to my
machine (solder machine) and asked "what are you doing? growing
potatoes up here! I asked what do you mean Jimmy, and he replied "you
have enough dust on top of this machine to grow potatoes, so let's see
if you can't dig up the potatoes and remove this dust".
Jimmy was loved and cherished by many at GE.
I know that you will miss him but just remember that God has deleivered
him from his discomfort and has taken Jimmy to the home that he has
prepared for him.
May GOD continue to strengthen you.
Kathy Brown
October 6, 2008
To the family of my Buddy Jimmy Coffee.
This was truly shocking and sad news to me.
Jimmy was my supervisor at GE Fanuc for serveral years and it was truly a blessing to have him as a supervisor. He had a nature about him that could make your lowest day a delightful day with his comical manner.
One day he was doing a housekeeping check in the area and came to my machine (solder machine) and asked "what are you doing? growing potatoes up here! I asked what do you mean Jimmy, and he replied "you
have enough dust on top of this machine to grow potatoes, so let's see if you can dig up the potatoes and remove this dust".
Jimmy was loved and cherished by many at GE.
I know that you will miss him but just remember that God has deleivered
him from his discomfort and has taken Jimmy to the home that he has prepared for him in Heaven.
May GOD continue to strengthen you.
Jeff Gustkey
October 1, 2008
Memories of Jimmy, Elwood C. Coffey
Jimmy met Heber his wife of 49 years, when he was 19, they were married on July 4, 1959. They started their family in Waynesboro and later moved to Richmond.
Jimmy worked for the General Electric Company for 37 years as a Supervisor. In 1975 he had the opportunity to take a position in Arizona to help start up a plant in Mexico. Even though this decision involved his career, he thought of his family first, and let them decide. He and his family spent 7 years in Arizona before returning to Charlottesville in 1982.
Jimmy had a love for the mountains and the simple life. He enjoyed spending time at his mountain property. If he wasn’t at home or at work that is where he would be.
His son Greg told me when he was young Jimmy would take him to the property and they tended over 200 peach trees. At the end of the year they picked the peaches and took them to local markets to sell for $20 a bushel. After they had sold them all, Jimmy turned to Greg and handed him all the money. This is just the kind of person Jimmy was.
When he retired from GE in 1992. He was able to really enjoy his mountain property. He had a camp built on it and spent much of his time there. He loved to ride his 4-wheeler around the property and down to the pond to feed the fish.
Even though he lived in Charlottesville he never really knew any streets or where too many things were located. But he knew every inch of his mountain property. He was truly a mountain man who loved being out in nature away from the material driven world.
He was known as Mountaineer on the CB. And he always said he was a hunter, but in all the time I’ve known him I never seen him kill anything. I think he enjoyed watching the animals more.
One of Jimmy’s other hobbies was skydiving, he made over 400 jumps. His three children once had the idea of using his parachute for a tent. Without his consent of course and it covered the whole back yard.
Jimmy loved having his family around, and always looked forward to a yearly trip with them to the mountains of Tennessee. Weeks before we would leave he would always ask his granddaughter Alease. How many more days until Tennessee? Every year she would count the days down until we left.
We will always remember our times with him in Tennessee. And as I look back on it. I understand why Jimmy liked it so much too. He was surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation and by his family, the two things he loved so much.
It was one of the few times a year that we all got together.
He will be greatly missed by all of us, but Jimmy and the little things he did will be remembered forever.
The two days spent in the hospital were hard for both Jimmy and the family. But Jimmy stayed strong and his family surrounded him with love. Although we were all together with him, something he always enjoyed. This was a very tough time for all.
Over the past year Jimmy fought hard and never gave up with the challenges to his health. Some of you may also have health problems.
But I want everyone to know this was not God’s original plan for mankind. Because of sin, God had to put another plan in place. That plan is asking Jesus Christ into your life and giving your sins to Him.
I talked and prayed with Jimmy several times before he went to sleep. His desirer was to be with God in heaven, if his life was to end here. I want everyone to know Jimmy made that choice.
The bible says:
John 3:16 - 17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
God does not force anyone to come to heaven with Him. It is your choice, and only you can make it. It is hard to see someone we love leave us. But, by knowing God we have this promise we can be with them again.
1Thessalonians 4:13 - 18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
These words are comforting. The last thing Jimmy saw before he fell asleep was his family all around him. And the one thing he loved was to have his family around him.
We all have that choice to be united together with our love ones, I know it would be Jimmy’s desire to see us all in heaven.
Jimmy also knew the condition he was in here on this earth.
Another thing he told me is he did not want to be a burden on his family if he could not get better. Again showing his true love for his family by thinking of them first.
When Jimmy wakes up, he is not going to be short of breath or have weak knees. Jimmy is going to wake up refreshed and his entire body restored. We all can have that same hope and comfort.
I thank God for Jimmy’s life and years we had with him. Please comfort all the members of his family and friends at this time. Bring into remembrance the faith and hope Jimmy had, despite the challenges he faced over the past year. Let each person know, they too can have that same faith and hope in You. Amen.
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conley & doris daughtry
October 1, 2008
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Lloyd Lee Coffey
October 1, 2008
From a school mate and hunting buddy. Also a cuz many ways.
Kay Knight
September 30, 2008
I was so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts of many are with you at this time of sorrow. I worked for Jimmy for many years, he was a great person and I know he will surely be missed by all who knew him. Please know my thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time.
Brenda McMaster (Coffey)
September 30, 2008
Dear Heber & family,
My love and thoughts and prayers are with each of you..That Jimmy was such a sweet, fun & crazy cousin, he will be greatly missed by all! If I can do anything for you, please let me know.
Much love always,
Brenda
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