Paul Arch Coffey was born to Archie E. and Virginia Frances "Jennie" Brown on Aug. 30, 1902 in Watauga Co., NC. His father died less than a year later, on Apr. 11, 1903. Two years later on October 5, 1905, his widow married Henry Boone Coffey, a son of Smith W. and Elizabeth Redmond Coffey and a very distant cousin to Archie.
See the Levi Lafayette Coffey blog for more family background information.
Paul grew up to marry Margaret Allen Linney on Dec. 6, 1926 in Watauga Co. Together they had two sons, Paul Armfield Coffey in 1934 who married Rachel Ann Rivers in 1965. Rachel's family was involved in the publication of the newspaper Watauga Democrat and Paul began his working career there, eventually rising to the position of Publisher. Paul died in 2007 and Rachel in 1999.
The second son was Frank Linney Coffey, born 24 Jun 1936 and died this year on Nov. 4.
According to Frank's obituary*, he was a graduate of Watauga High School and the Oberlin Conservatory in Oberlin, OH where he was described in a college's alumni paper as a baritone who sang primarily comprimario roles. He later attended the Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria. after which he sang with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for 26 years.
Frank married Joyce A. Zaorski in Manhattan, NY in 1971. They were the parents of Paul L. Coffey who currently resides in NYC with his wife, Liz.
*Sent to me courtesy of Bradley Ingels
