Olin Jay Coffey was a son of David Nathaniel and Caroline Lavinia Coffey Coffey. He married his second cousin, Edna Estie Coffey, daughter of Julius Calvin and Clarissa Adams Coffey. I have not found a marriage date for them. However, based on birth date of their first child it appears they were married in late 1920 or early 1921 in Watauga Co., NCOlin and Estie had two children. One, a son whose first name I have not discovered, was born Jun. 8, 1922 in Watauga Co. The second, a daughter, Norma Pauline was born Jun. 3, 1924.
Shortly after Pauline's birth her mother died, and Olin allowed Pauline to be adopted by William Washington and Lee Ella Coffey Collins. Lee Ella and Olin were first cousins. The child born in 1922 apparently died shortly after birth.
Olin never remarried, and at age 42 on Nov. 18, 1942 at Camp Croft, SC he enlisted in the US Army. He died on May 28, 1986 in Watauga Co.
His obituary:
Mr. Olin Jay Coffey
Retired Farmer
Mr. Olin Jay Coffey, 86, of Blowing Rock, died Wednesday afternoon, May 28, at Blowing Rock Hospital.
He was born in Watauga County, April 5, 1900, a son of the late David and Caroline Coffey. He was an Army veteran of World War I and a member of the American Legion in Blowing Rock. He was a retired farmer.
Mr. Coffey is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Howard (Norma) Hodges of Boone; one niece, Mrs. Gwendolyn Dula of Blowing Rock; two nephews, the Rev. Murray Coffey and Hardin Coffey, both of Blowing Rock. He is also survived by two granddaughters, three great-granddaughters and one great-grandson.
Services were conducted this morning at 10 at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock. Officiating were the Rev. Vaughn Earl Hartsell and the Rev. Howard Hodges. Burial was in the Boone Fork Community Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Legion in Blowing Rock.
Hampton Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements.
An article in The Blowing Rocket, a Watauga Co. weekly, dated Oct. 7, 2004, reads:
"This man was one of Blowing Rocks most popular resident and one if its most respected leaders. He was a Postmaster for a few years, sold real estate and served on a number of community and municipal boards. He was the town's authority on elections, serving for years as registrar, judge and other election official duties. In his later years he could always be found playing a game of checkers at the post office."
Norma married Howard Thomas Hodges and had several children before she died on Jun. 3, 1924 in Denton, Davidson Co., NC.
Her obituary:
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.
Photographs courtesy Margaret Coffey Farley.
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