Mrs. Eleanor Drake Drake Coffman

A cryptside service will be held at 2:00 pm Sunday, July 24, 2011, in the Westminster Gardens Mausoleum Chapel, with Pastor Neil Dunnavant officiating.

Mrs. Coffman was born November 24, 1916 in Inwood, Long Island, New York to the late Warren Charles and Ethel Jones Drake. She grew up in Cedarhurst, Long Island graduating from Lawrence High School and Nassau Collegiate Institute. On June 6, 1936 she married John Thomas Coffman. Her children were born on Long Island and the family lived in the New York area until moving to Tennessee in 1951 and then Paducah, Kentucky in 1954. Mrs. Coffman lived in Paducah until 2007 at which time she moved to Greensboro, North Carolina to be closer to her daughter.

Mrs. Coffman began her professional career in Paducah in 1956 as secretary to Dr. R. G. Matheson, President of Paducah Junior College. In 1968 she was briefly Public Relations Director, University of Kentucky Community College and then in that same year became Director of Community Service and Continuing Education for Paducah Community College until her retirement in 1985. She said many times one of her proudest achievements was presenting a course in the preparation for Hospice volunteers which was the beginning of the Hospice program in Paducah.

Mrs. Coffman was very committed to giving back to the community that she had enjoyed being a part of for many years. She was a member of Paducah City Beautification Board receiving the silver trowel award for 20 years of service, and a member of Perennial Gardeners garden club. Her volunteer work included Paducah Ambassador, International Quilt Show, Market House Theater, Paducah Cooperative Ministry, and docent for the annual Dogwood Festival. She was a member of Paducah Symphony Orchestra guild, a docent and member of American Quilt Museum, Market House Museum board member and volunteer, and Paducah Community College Focus on the Arts board member.

Mrs. Coffman was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Paducah for over 40 years. She was an usher, Keys program volunteer, and volunteer in church social activities.

Traveling was something she enjoyed very much. She visited all 50 states, Canada, Central and South America, all of the countries in east and west Europe, parts of North Africa and other places too numerous to mention.

Her humor was infectious, her positive attitude a blessing to her and others. She was an inspiration to students, faculty, friends and family and will be truly missed by those who cherished and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her son John Warren Coffman, husband John Thomas Coffman, sister Doris Drake DeBaun and brother Henry Charles Drake.

She is survived by her daughter Gail Coffman Payne of Greensboro, Step granddaughters Laura Payne Smith of Greensboro and Stephanie Payne Alley of Knoxville, Tennessee, five step great grand children, ten nieces and nephews, and many grand and great grand nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 7 until 8 pm Saturday evening at Hanes-Lineberry N. Elm St. Chapel.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Mrs. Coffman’s name to the Eleanor Coffman Memorial Scholarship, c/o PJC, Inc., POB 7380, Paducah, KY 42002-7380 or Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405