John Harrison Coffman, Jr.

JOHN H. COFFMAN, JR. John Harrison Coffman, Jr. was born September 1, 1920 in Thrall, Williamson County, Texas and passed away on Monday, November 17, 2003 in Temple, Texas. Visitation and Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, 6101 Bosque Blvd. in Waco. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Waco, 1401 Washington Avenue, with the Reverend Angelo Bertini officiating. Graveside services will immediately follow at Waco Memorial North. Mr. Coffman was raised in Lee County, and attended Lexington public schools. His grandfather, William Harrison Coffman represented Lee, Washington and Burleson counties in the Eighteenth Legislature. During the depression, Mr. Coffman worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps, working on many state park projects. On December 10, 1939, he married Rose Mary Angelo in Waco, and worked for Central Forwarding Company. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Harrison Coffman and Jesse Laurence Coffman Gresham, and also his wife of 63 years, who died November 13, 2002. Mr. Coffman joined the U.S. Army Air Force in 1944, serving with the 1045 AAF Base Unit as an Aerial Gunner. He was actively engaged in serving our country during World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and was especially instrumental in the liberation of the Philippines at Luzon. As Staff Sergeant during these campaigns, he received several commendations for his service. A fiercely patriotic man, Mr.Coffman was proud of his war years and service to his country. After graduating from Business School, he began his life insurance career at Prudential Life Insurance Company in Waco, followed by six years with Texas Life Insurance Company of Waco and held the position of Assistant Agency Director. Having been instrumental in the growth of sales and the actual sales force, he was recruited by Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. to be Vice-President and Agency Director with Consolidated American Life in Houston in 1957, later to become Lincoln Liberty Life. During the 11 years he was with Lincoln Liberty Life in Houston, Mr. Coffman was largely responsible for record-setting growth of the sales force and amount of life insurance in force. Mr. Coffman then moved to Dallas where he accepted the position of Executive Vice-President and Senior Marketing Officer with United Fidelity Life. Again, after helping that company grow substantially, in 1978, Mr. Coffman joined Union Bankers Insurance Co. in Dallas as President and member of the board, and increased the sales force and insurance in force as well. After retiring from Union Bankers, he formed a general agency in Dallas known as The Eagle Group representing several different life insurance companies. Mr. Coffman received his C.L.U. designation in 1963, and was the recipient of the American College of Life Underwriters’ Agency Management Certificate in 1966. In 1968, he received the Company Management Certificate from the same college. An active Civic-minded person, Mr. Coffman served as Treasurer of the American Cancer Society for the Texas Division, a past board member of the Lakewood Bank & Trust in Dallas, a board member of the Greater Dallas United Way, and held many other offices throughout the state of Texas. A devout member of the Catholic Church, Mr. Coffman was active in the Knights of Columbus in Waco, President of the Dallas Serra Club, and attained the rank of Knight of the Star Grand Cross in the Equestrian Order of the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, acting as President of the Dallas Chapter. He was an active member of St. Mary’s in Waco, St. Michael’s in Houston, and St. Rita’s in Dallas. Mr. Coffman is survived by children: Janean Coffman Carey and husband, James David Carey, Fort Worth; Rosanne Coffman Johnson and husband, Tom Gilson Johnson, Fort Pierce, Florida; John Harrison Coffman, III, Dallas and Stephen Anthony Coffman and wife, Vicky Zapp Coffman, Victoria. He is survived by four grandchildren: James Kevin Carey, Fort Worth; Colleen Carey Monroe, South Lake; Stephen Anthony Coffman, Jr., Victoria and Mary Rose Coffman, Victoria. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren. In addition, there are innumerable friends and business associates, among others, who will miss this charming, generous, humorous, and well-loved “Eagle.” Pallbearers will be Kevin Carey, Steve Coffman, Jr., Ed Mason, Gary Hawkins, Jose Luis Jimenez and Sam Tanner. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY