Ruth Harper Coffey

Ruth Harper Coffey, age 81, of Tazewell, TN born Oct. 1, 1933 at home in Lone Mountain, TN, and passed away on July 22, 2015 at Claiborne County Hospital. She was a member of Lone Mountain Baptist Church and a 1951 graduate of Claiborne County High School. She worked at Payne Motor Company; Headstart and Coffey Funeral Home.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William Samuel and Minnie Harrell Harper; husband, Jessie Coffey; sisters, Lucy Harper, Maggie Cardwell and Mary Myers; brothers, Frank, Claude, Sam, John, Ed and Fred Harper.

She is survived by her son, Pat Coffey ; daughter, Jill Coffey of Tazewell, TN; several nieces and nephews and special friend, Willie Mae Wells.

The family will receive friends from 6-9PM Friday, July 24, 2015 at Coffey Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held at 2:00PM Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Coffey Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Lawrence Fultz, and Rev. Casey Anders officiating. The body will lie-in-state for 30 minutes before service. Burial at the Fairview Cemetery with Gary Sherlin, John Myers II, Jim Brock, Steve Wells, Mike Rowland, and Zack Givens serving as pallbearers. Flower attendants will be Heather, Marah, Emily, and Olivia Rowland.

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be Ruth Harper Coffey. She was a warm hearted and well liked individual, and these wonderful traits came easily to her because she was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around her had whatever they needed. Ruth was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what she meant.

Ruth was born at home in Lone Mountain, TN in Lone Mountain, TN (Tazewell). She was the daughter of William Samuel and Minnie Beulah Harrell Harper. Ruth was raised in Lone Mountain, TN. During her childhood she learned to be reliable and respectful. Ruth was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. She found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Ruth's personality throughout her life.

Though Ruth was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with her family, she was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. Ruth was a peace-maker with an ability to resolve all sorts of family conflicts. In fact, Ruth worked conscientiously to keep those typical family spats at bay. Ruth was raised with nine siblings. She had 2 older sisters, Lucy Harper & Maggie Harper Cardwell; 1 younger sister, Mary Harper Myers; 6 older brothers, Frank, Claude,Sam, John, Ed and Fred Harper. Ruth and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

For Ruth, the school routines were never a problem although she generally preferred variety to structure. She seemed to be able to start a project and work right through to its completion. And she was able to do it quickly and efficiently. Ruth was also adept at details. Ruth was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. She graduated from Claiborne County High School in 1951. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

There was one thing that all of Ruth's friends knew and will still remember, and that is that she was a talker. She could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that Ruth was such a popular person throughout her life. But Ruth was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. Ruth was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While she maintained personal standards and her own personal values, Ruth was very accepting of others. With a distinct skill for working things out, Ruth was often the person who would organize events. In fact, Ruth was fairly comfortable playing the role of “host” for just about any occasion. When Ruth made friends, she made true and lasting friendships. Later in life, she became friends with Willie Mae Wells.

Ruth was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call her sentimental and a romantic at heart. Her kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around her. Ruth cared for what others thought and carried that into her marriage. On July 5, 1958 Ruth married Jessie James Coffey on the front porch of Rev. Sam Coffey of New Tazewell, TN. Compassionate and devoted, Ruth worked hard to make her new life partner happy.

Harmony was important to Ruth and she made every effort to maintain it with her family. Ruth was blessed with 2 children, 1 son Pat and 1 daughter Jill. Ruth was always conscious of the feelings others had. She was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Ruth was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. Her secret of success in this area was simple: Ruth would listen before she would act.

Taking her work seriously came naturally to Ruth, and she expected the same from those around her. Ruth was a good team player, someone who was born to cooperate with others. She was what some would call a “people person” and it was demonstrated in her good communication skills. Ruth was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Ruth handled well. She could understand the details without getting lost in the broad “big picture.” Her primary occupation was secretary. She was employed for Payne Motor Co., Headstart and Coffey Funeral Home. She brought harmony to her work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for her colleagues.

A methodical woman, Ruth enjoyed spending time working on her various hobbies. She had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that she could have something to show for her efforts. Her favorite pursuits were reading, cooking and feeding others.

Ruth was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth her best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. Ruth was always enthusiastic and a great team player. Ruth also liked being a sports fan and enjoyed following her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were Tennessee football and basketball.

Her high moral standards and traditional values served Ruth well with her faith. Religion and faith were important to her. She was a member of Lone Mountain Baptist Church for over 45 years. During that time, she was faithful member. She was well respected because she was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner she could.

Not only did Ruth enjoy traveling, but she also seemed to enjoy planning all of those trips and vacations. She was a facilitator who could easily make up a near perfect schedule of all of the things to do and see. She rarely tired of going back and revisiting her favorite places. Favorite vacations included going to the beach and Dollywood.

Since it was easy for Ruth to meet and get to know new people, she quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once she met those new friends, she loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. Since she was practical and cost effective, Ruth was ready when that day to retire finally came in 1984. In retirement, she found new pleasure in reading, cooking and going to Dollywood. Even in retirement, Ruth stayed in touch with her old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered her.

Ruth was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever she said something, she meant it. Ruth was a down to earth person, outgoing and gregarious. She was without question the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things first hand. She was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember her for most is the fact that she was so understanding and kind. Everyone whose life she touched will miss Ruth Harper Coffey.

Coffey Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.