Captain Joseph Pleasant Cofer, Jr., died peacefully at his home on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020. He was 96 years old. He was born in Bluefield, WV in 1923. His parents were the late Joseph Pleasant Cofer and Ella Jane Counts Cofer.
Joe graduated from Beaver High School in 1941. He lettered in swimming and football and was a member of The National Honor Society. After graduating, he attended Texas A&M College, class of 1945 for 2 years. In 1943 he was sworn in as a midshipman at the US Naval Academy, graduating with the class of 1947.
In his naval career, he patrolled off the coasts of China and Korea, swept mines in the Southwest Pacific and Japan, patrolled in a destroyer off the east coast of the United States, graduated in 1954 from the US Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA in mechanical engineering and began navigating a cruiser. In 1955 Joe was ordered to London, UK for a 2 year tour on a Four Star Admiral’s staff. He was then ordered to a destroyer squadron as chief of staff and served 4 six month tours in the Mediterranean with the Cold War Sixth Fleet.
In 1959 Joe left the regular Navy and accepted a position in the Naval Reserve. In 1959 he gained his third degree in metallurgical engineering from Virginia Tech University. He and his family then moved to Chattanooga where Joe worked for Combustion Engineering in research. Later, Joe became a life insurance agent receiving the CLU and CHFC designations. In 1963 Joe was given command of the Naval Reserve Large Surface Division in Chattanooga in which he commanded most of the Chattanooga units until 1980 when it came time for him to retire.
Other activities in which Joe was involved were founding Sea Scout Unit 101 in March of 1968, teaching an engineering course at the University of Chattanooga in 1963-64 and a course in metallurgy at Chattanooga State in the 1970s. He was a member of the vestry of St Thaddeus Episcopal Church from 1962-1965. He organized the Chattanooga Council of the Navy League of USA on February 12, 1973 with 125 members in attendance. He was president of the TN Department of Reserve Officers Association in May of 1972, National Director and TN State President of the United States Naval League in April of 1972 and 1973. In February of 1980, the Honorable Pat Rose, then mayor of Chattanooga, gave Joe the honor of Ambassador of GoodWill for the city of Chattanooga.
Joe married Ferne Randolph (Randy) Broaddus from Beckley, WV in 1950. They had 4 children. After rearing 4 children while moving numerous times and 49 years of marriage, Randy died in 1999. In 2003 Joe married Carolyn Jennings Baird who made Joe’s last years happy and comfortable and for whom Joe’s children will be forever grateful.
Joe is survived by his wife, Carolyn, a son Joseph B. Cofer, MD (Juanita), a son T. Michael Cofer (Sherri), a daughter Carolyn C. Miller (L.D. Miller III-Micky), a daughter Virginia R. Cofer and a step-daughter Andrea Jennings Baird. Joe had seven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.
Because of the COVID-19 issues, there will be a private interment at The Chattanooga National Cemetery in the near future and a memorial service to celebrate his life at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at a future time to be determined.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to The Chattanooga Food Bank, 2009 Curtain Pole Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37406, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 305 W 7th St, Chattanooga, TN 37402 or any organization of choice.
Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist East Chapel, 404 South Moore Rd. East Ridge, TN 37412.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com
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