Claude Williams Coffee Jr.

NEWPORT NEWS - Claude Coffee Jr., 84, beloved husband, father, and friend died on Wednesday morning, Sept. 7, 2005, after a courageous battle with cancer and heart disease. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Bess Newbern Coffee; his daughters, Martin Coffee and Jane Evans; and grandchildren, Andrew and Laura. He was born in Sanford, Fla. on Feb. 24, 1921, and grew up in the Miami area; often spending his boyhood summers camped on the beach. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1942 with a BS Engineering, where he was in the ROTC-Cavalry. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served during World War II. After the war, he returned to Florida and received an additional engineering degree before moving to Newport News in 1947 to work for NASA (then NACA). Claude worked for NASA for 38 years during the exciting times of the country's early space exploration. He served as project manager on eight unmanned space flights-he loved to be joined by his family on launches from Cape Canaveral. He worked on Echo 1, one of the nation's first satellites, and received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal for his work with the Injun-Hawkeye Explorer Satellites, collaborating with Dr. Van Allen on his important work. Claude was a 32nd degree Scottish rite mason, and was very active in the local Mariner 215 AF&AM lodge. He was past master of the lodge and a past District Deputy Grand Master. Claude was a member of the U.S. Army reserves, retiring as a Lt. Colonel, and was the former battalion commander of the 3rd Howitzer Battalion, 36th Field Artillery. After retiring in 1985, Claude kept busy. He volunteered at the Virginia Living Museum for 15 years, and was a frequent visitor to the local wellness center. He was always willing to lend a hand to friends and family-helping with a project, baking a cake, or just offering his unassuming intelligence to any problem shared. Many will miss him. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at Peninsula Funeral Home. A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at the funeral home with burial to follow in Peninsula Memorial Park. The family requests that memorials be made to the Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601 or Riverside Hospice, 11815 Rock Landing Drive, Newport News, VA 23606.