Reuben Finley Coffey

Reuben was a son of Joseph R. Coffey and Martha Elizabeth Gragg. He was born Jul. 3, 1870 in Caldwell Co., NC and died Nov. 15, 1955 in that county. He married Flora Ellen Hollifield on Dec. 14, 1893 in Caldwell Co. Flora was born May 27, 1876 in Caldwell Co., and died there on Nov. 18, 1956.

They were the parents of four children:

Alfred Linney, born Nov. 19, 1894 in Caldwell Co., and died in France during WW1 on Sep. 18, 1918. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section Euro, Site 3218. He never married. When he registered for the WW1 draft he was employed as a mail carrier in Watauga Co. He was described as being tall with a medium build, brown eyes and dark colored hair.

Martha Viena, the second child, was born Sep. 30, 1896 in Caldwell Co., and died Jun., 1986 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co. She married Jethro Ransom Harmon on Nov. 26, 1921 in North Carolina. Jethro was born Feb. 2, 1898 in Caldwell Co., and died Jun. 13, 1996 in Hudson, Caldwell Co. Martha and Jethro had five children: Edna May, born Nov. 25, 1922; John, born and died 1924; Claude Edward, born 1926; Paul Hubert, born Oct. 27, 1929; and Olan Dale, born Jul. 10, 1932.

Their third born was Joseph Meritt, born Jan. 27, 1899 in Caldwell Co., and died Jul. 11, 1981 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC. He married Sue Augustus Childs, born Aug. 8, 1899 in North Carolina and died Jan. 1995 in Blowing Rock. I have not found a marriage date for this couple. Their children were Beulah Mae, born Mar. 24, 1924 in Watauga Co.; Evelyn Flora, born Oct. 24, 1928 in Watauga Co.; Joseph, Jr., birth date not found; and Richard D., born Apr. 27, 1948 in Watauga Co., and died Sep. 28, 2003 in Wilkes Co., NC. Beulah married a distant cousin, Hardin Blaine Coffey, son of Austin Blaine and Emma Mahalia Harris Coffey.

Fourth born was Wiley Earl Coffey. He was born Jul. 11, 1902 in Caldwell Co., and died Mar. 9, 1972 in Watauga Co. He first married Blanche Shumate. The only child found for them is Lena Verdola, born Feb. 23, 1923. His second wife was Edna Mae Story, born Jun. 14, 1904 in Watauga Co., and died Aug. 31, 1980 in Catawba Co., NC. A marriage date has not yet been found. Their children were Wiley Earl Coffey, born Jun. 10, 1928, died Aug. 14, 2004. Wiley retired from the United States Navy as a Lt. Cmdr. He was buried in Virginia Beach, VA but I have not yet found the exact site. Their second child was Kenneth Asher Coffey, born Oct. 14, 1931, died Nov. 21, 1978 in Glendale, CA. He was also a veteran of the US Navy and served during the Korean conflict. His gravesite is at Plains View Baptist Church in Fallston, Cleveland Co., NC. The last child is the Rev. Elmer Deal Coffey, born Oct. 5, 1937.

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