The Reverend Jonathan Bachman Coffey, Sr. died peacefully in his home at Sand Hill Cove, in Palm City, in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 15, 2012. Fr. Coffey was born just over 91 years ago in Chattanooga, Tennessee on September 26, 1921. He was the third of five children born to his parents and he grew up, enjoying a wonderful childhood, on Lookout Mountain. Jon took the now famous Incline to school in the city and frolicked with brothers and his one beloved sister in the Chickamauga National Military Park just one block from their home on Richardson Street. Jon graduated from Baylor Military School and then the University of Chattanooga before enlisting in the U.S. Army after Pearl Harbor. He served in the Pacific throughout World War II, and while there met a beautiful missionary’s daughter in Honolulu named Mary Corey. He and Mary fell in love and after the war they were married. After several years in insurance, Jon went off to the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. While he and Mary were there, they had two boys, Chris and David, to follow their first-born, Jon Jr. Jon’s first parish was Christ Church in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. After two years he moved to Miami, Florida where he built a church, All Angels, in Miami Springs where his beloved daughter Constance Elizabeth, was born. He then served as rector of All Souls in Miami Beach. Jon finished his active ministry as rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Jensen Beach and then he and Mary moved to Martin Downs where they lived for over twenty years before moving to Sand Hill Cove.
Jon served in many capacities in both church and community, always a leader in everything he undertook. He will be remembered by all as a loving pastor, a good friend, a devoted father and a loving husband to his beloved wife of almost 65 years, Mary.
Jon is survived by his children: Jonathan Jr. (Julie) and their children Kate (Justin) and Spencer; Christopher (Karen) and their children Brianna and Nicholas; David (Susan) and their children Jeremy (Laura) and their daughters Kristin and Kate, Melissa (Jason) and their son, Cooper, their daughter Caitlin (Justin) and their son Quinn, and their son Andew; and their daughter Consie (Trampas) and their children Zachary, Shelby, Alexander, Christopher, Corey mand Caleb
The funeral to celebrate Jon’s life will be on Wednesday, December 19 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Stuart, Florida. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Episcopal Relief and Development at
815 Second Ave. New York NY 10017 or www.er-d.org.
The interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery in Jensen Beach at 1:30 p.m. and all are welcome. A cortage will depart St. Mary’s at around 1 p.m.
Please sign Jon’s online guestbook at www.ayockfuneralhome.net
All arrangements are entrusted to Aycock Funeral Home, Stuart, FL.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18