Colonel James A. Coning

Colonel James Alan Coning, 85, of New Philadelphia, formerly of Ashville, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2025.

Born on October 31, 1939, in Richmond, Indiana, he was the son of the late Lawrence W. and Clara (Driver) Coning.

Jim’s military career began when he enlisted in the Air Force in 1957. He graduated with a degree in Political Science from Miami University in 1966 and married Donna shortly thereafter. After completing Officer Candidate School in 1966, Jim was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force. He went on to earn a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Mississippi in 1968.

Jim and Donna started their family in Amarillo, Texas, before moving to Biloxi, Mississippi, where Jim served at various Air Force bases. Eventually, the family relocated to Cincinnati and later to Worthington. Jim worked tirelessly at Blue Cross & Blue Shield. When the Ohio Air National Guard's 178th Fighter Wing received F-16s, Jim was proud to take on the responsibility of maintaining them.

In a noteworthy piece of his career, Jim trained alongside Robert Gates, who would later become the Secretary of Defense, at Officer Training School. He also graduated Air War College in 1991. Jim retired from active duty in 1998 as a Colonel in the Ohio Air National Guard.

Jim married the former Anita C. Cohee in 1998 and together, spent several years in Chicago before embarking on an adventurous journey across the United States in an RV. One of their memorable experiences was volunteering at Lyndon Johnson’s ranch in Texas. Ultimately, they settled in a cabin on a mountain outside Asheville, NC, where they lived for many years.

A passionate runner and military enthusiast, Jim excelled at mentoring others and was always eager to share stories about his children and grandchildren. One of his fondest memories was assisting Jack Harbaugh as an assistant coach when Harbaugh coached at Eaton High School. Jim often reminisced about the times John and Jim would wrestle in the background while the coaches met in Jack's basement on Sunday mornings.

Jim’s legacy is one of service, family, and a deep love for his country.

He is survived by his wife, the former Anita Carole Cohee; his children, Fr. Jeffrey Coning, Anne (Bill) Heishman, and Susan (Lee) Shannon; grandchildren, Emilee Marie and Kylee Elizabeth, Christian (Chrissy) Heishman, Cally (Dwayne) Heishman, and Cara (Shawn) Heishman ; great-grandchildren, Xavier, Kolbi, Octavia, Serenity and Heaven; former spouse, Donna Hindes Beery; siblings, Betty (Al) Clark; his step-children, Cindy Bianucci, Marc (Shannon) Norman, Eric (Kim) Norma, and Michele Chalice; and his step-grandchildren, Jodie, Amy, Ryan, Austin, Noah, Owen, Evan, Ethan, Colin, Alden and Emily.

His son, Fr. Jeff Coning will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial in Sacred Heart Church on February 15, 2025 at 10 a.m. A private burial will take place in Mound Hill Cemetery at Eaton, Ohio, on February 18, 2025.