Obituary of James Eugene Coffman

James Eugene Coffman entered the presence of his Savior on November 11, 2019. He was born January 30, 1937 in Cushing, OK to Robert Allen Coffman and Maude Edith Coffman. He was the oldest surviving child, and had three younger siblings. Born during the Depression, Jim moved cross-country several times with his family as his father pursued work, attending more than 13 different schools before graduating in Lexington, OK in 1955. His first official job (for which he obtained his social security card) was as a pin setter in a bowling alley. His other school-age jobs included mowing lawns and weeding, hauling hay, working in a furniture store, and apprenticing as a printer in the local newspaper office. In high school, he ran track and field and played tennis and baseball, but opted out of football in favor of marching band (so that he could ride on the bus with the majorettes and cheerleaders instead of the stinky football players.) Jim served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for a little over a year before enlisting full-time with the Air Force, where he spent 28 1/2 years. Jim loved his country and was very proud of his military career. Highlights of his time in the Air Force included overseas tours in Germany and Australia; two tours at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where he was privileged to design simulators for the Apollo-Soyuz mission and the Space Shuttle, and train astronauts on them; and two tours at McChord Air Force Base, where he fell in love with the area. He chose to retire from McChord to live in western Washington, which he referred to as “God’s country.” Always hardworking and service-oriented, Jim next applied his many and varied talents in a variety of jobs and volunteer capacities, including as printer and financial secretary for Northwest Independent Church Extension, as fire captain for the Steilacoom Fire Department, and as a writer and radio announcer with Voice for Christ Ministries at KIAM, Soldotna, AK. When he finally “retired,” Jim worked tirelessly for the churches he attended, on the board of Construction Workers Christian fellowship, for the Mason County Sportsman’s Club, and in the Veterans’ Service Office with the American Legion. Jim enjoyed fishing, shooting, singing, songwriting, photography, foreign languages, and computers, and had a deep and abiding interest in planes and space travel. He loved children and could often be found with a baby in his arms, or playing jokes on the kids that flocked around him. He admired actors John Wayne, Chuck Norris, Tom Selleck, and Ronald Reagan; enjoyed the music of Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins, and George Gershwin; and laughed very contagiously at the writings of Patrick McManus. True to his roots, Jim loved chicken fried steak, biscuits and gravy, fried okra, grits, and SPAM (which was first produced the year he was born.) He shared his cooking with family and many others at men’s breakfasts, Legion potlucks, and church events. Jim was deeply passionate about God, country, and family. Readily willing to admit his faults, Jim would describe himself as a sinner, saved by the grace of God. He spent his first two decades of adulthood living a wild lifestyle and was outspokenly skeptical of religion. But through the faithful witness of a friend and the changes he observed in his wife, Liz, after her own salvation, Jim was born again in August of 1976, and proudly referred to himself thereafter as a “Bicentennial Baby.” His faith in Jesus transformed his life, and he was always eager to introduce others to his Savior. Jim was preceded in eternal life by his father and mother, his previous wife Liz Coffman, and his sisters Bobbie Jean Coffman and Barbara Perry. Jim is survived by his wife, Annella Coffman; his beloved sister and brother, Virginia Thompson and Robert Coffman, both of Oklahoma; his children Sylvia Perez, Paula Baxter, James Coffman, all of Colorado, and Rebecca Matheny, of Washington; his stepchildren Deborah Mitchell, Belinda Quinn, Russell Smith, all of New South Wales, Australia, Robynne Robinson, of Montana, Brian Jay, of Washington, and Bradley Jay, of California; as well as 34 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren, all of whom Jim loved and prayed for, despite the distances that separated them. Please join us to remember his life at a service on December 20 at 1:00pm, held at First Baptist Church in Shelton, WA. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Jim’s memory to one of the causes that he supported during his lifetime: - American Legion Post 31, 210 W Franklin St., Shelton, WA 98584 - Teach Beyond, PO Box 610, Downers Grove, IL 60515 (or online at teachbeyond.org)