Ronald R. Coffman

1940 - 2017

January 28, 1940 -

July 18, 2017

Ron Coffman, 77, of Bend, OR passed away peacefully at St. Charles Medical Center after a short illness.

Ron was born in Ontario, OR to Lois (Harris) and Walter B. Coffman. He graduated from Douglas High School, Winston, OR in 1958. While in school he developed an interest in music, singing in the A Capella Choir, playing drums in the school band, and performing in various school musicals.

After graduation, he played in several dance bands, then joined the Navy in 1959. He and his wife of 58 years, Peggy J. Austin, were married on May 24, 1959. They first lived in San Diego, CA, where he attended Radio School, and later in Seattle, WA. The rest of his naval duty was in the Western Pacific, where he was hand-picked to be a cryptographer on Johnston Island, during the nuclear testing on Eniwetok and Christmas Island.

After his naval service, he joined the Klamath Falls Police Dept. in 1963. In 1965 he joined the Eugene Police Dept. where he served for 25 years, with several years as a patrolman, a patrol investigator, and 20 years as a burglary detective. He retired in 1990. For the next 13 years he worked at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court as a court security officer. In his spare time, he was a private investigator. All during his lifetime, he was an active musician, playing drums in a rock band for wedding receptions, and private parties.

Ron and Peggy had 2 sons. The oldest, David, preceded his father in death. The youngest, Michael, is an optometrist who owns Coffman Vision Clinic in Bend, OR. Surviving siblings are: Jan Antone, Coos Bay, OR; Alan Evans, Eugene, OR; and Denise Evans, Crescent City, CA.

Both Ron and Peggy retired in 2003 and moved to Bend, where Ron volunteered with the High Desert Museum, working with the mustang and burro. He also volunteered at Crooked River Ranch Golf Course, as golf marshal. He acted in several plays, in local community theater. He was delighted to be cast in one with his son, Michael. On July 20, 2006, Ron was critically injured in a motorcycle accident, which left him a paraplegic. It was then x-rays showed that he had a brain tumor, which most likely caused his accident. It was removed. For the next 11 years, Ron was lovingly cared for by his wife, Peggy. The last two and a half years, they lived at Whispering Winds Retirement Community, where Ron continued playing music, after teaching himself to play the baritone ukelele. He participated in many musical programs at Whispering Winds, and led and accompanied the Sing-Along group on Monday afternoons. He and his friend Paul Jordan, who, with his seeing eye dog, performed as Cool-E and the Handi-caps.

Ron was beloved by all who knew him. As a police officer, he posted poems of funny events and his sense of humor brightened up the day for the many who knew him. He was warm and caring and was regarded as "family" to many of his friends. He was "Uncle Ron" to many nieces and nephews, friends' children and grandchildren, dogs, and cats. He published 2 books of poems, and a novel called, "Diary of a Northwest Cop". His second novel, "O'Shea, Northwest P.I." is ready for publication.

A private burial was held at Pilot Butte Cemetery in Bend. A Celebration of Life will be held on August 13th at 10 a.m. at the Riverhouse Convention Center.