Olin James Coffey

Olin James Coffey*, born Apr. 4, 1900 in Watauga Co., NC was a son of David Nathaniel and Caroline Lovina Coffey Coffey. Caroline was the daughter of Levi L. and Temperance C. [perhaps also a Coffey] Coffey. David Nathaniel was a son of Austin and Mary A. Blaylock Coffey. Austin and David Nathaniel were second cousins.

Olin married Estie Coffey [her parents are yet unknown] about 1923, and together they had a daughter, Norma Pauline Coffey. Either at the birth of, or shortly thereafter Estie died because Olin shows up in the 1930 Watauga Co. census as a widower in the household with his brother, Austin Blaine Coffey.

The child Norma appears in the household with the William W. and Lee Ella Williams family as their "adopted daughter." Interestingly enough, the Williams family had an older daughter named Estie, age 24.

Olin registered for the WW1 draft in Sep., 1918, but apparently was not drafted. In 1942 he enlisted in the US Army and recorded that he was a widower without dependents. In 1918 he was recorded as being of medium height with blue eyes and light colored hair. In 1942 he was 6' tall and weighed 135 lbs.

He apparently never remarried. Another marriage record has not been found and he died as a widower on May 28, 1986 in Watauga Co.**

Norma Pauline married the Rev. Howard Thomas Hodges. After 56 years of marriage and several children, Pauline died at age 79 on Nov. 9, 2003 in Denton, NC. Her obituary, which appeared in both the News Herald in Morganton, NC and The Dispatch in Lexington, NC reads respectively:

Norma Hodges

DENTON--Mrs. Norma C. Hodges, 79, of Denton, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at her home. Born in Watauga County on June 3, 1924, she was a daughter of the late Olin J. and Estie Coffey Coffey and was a homemaker and a member of Zion Baptist Church in Morganton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, the Rev. Howard Thomas Hodges, who died April 20, 2001. She also was preceded in death by her foster family, Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Collins, Sally Collins, Spencer and Staple Collins.

She is survived by daughters, Rebecca Parsons and husband, Lloyd, of Denton, and Susan Bullard of Fort Mill, S.C.; grandchildren, Jessica, Caitlin and Robb Bullard of Fort Mill, S.C. and Jen Parsons of Richlands and Amanda Perez of High Point.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Zion Baptist Church in Morganton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Cedar Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1048, Linwood, N.C. 27299.

Briggs Funeral Home in Denton is assisting the family.

Obituaries

November 11. 2003 12:00AM

Norma C. Hodges

DENTON - Norma Coffey Hodges, 79, of Denton, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at her home. A memorial service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Zion Baptist Church in Morganton, where she was a member.

Mrs. Hodges was born June 3, 1924, in Watauga County to Olin J. and Estie Coffey Coffey. She was a homemaker. She was married to the Rev. Howard Thomas Hodges, her husband of 56 years, who died April 20, 2001. She was also preceded in death by her foster family, Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Collins, Sally Collins and Spencer and Staple Collins.

Surviving are two daughters, Rebecca Parsons and her husband, Lloyd, of Denton and Susan Bullard of Fort Mill, S.C., and six grandchildren, Jessica, Caitlin and Rob Bullard of Fort Mill, S.C., Matthew and Jen Parsons of Richlands and Amanda Perez of High Point.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cedar Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1048, Linwood, N.C. 27299.

Briggs Funeral Home in Denton is assisting the family.



*In some records his name is recorded as Olin Jay Coffey, and Olin James Coffey in others.

**Ancestry.com: North Carolina Death Collection, 1908-1966, and NC Department of Health, Deaths 1983-87