Wilfred Myers Coffey

Wilfred Myers Coffey*, a son of Saylor Marshall and Celestial Coffey Coffey, was born Nov. 8. 1909 in Rockbridge Co., VA and died Mar. 15, 2003 at High Point, Guilford Co., NC.  His parents were 4th cousins, once removed. Both were descended from Edward and Ann Powell Coffey through their son John Coffey and his wife, Jane Graves.

*This family is in the Jordan Coffey line. Jordan is not considered a Coffey except on his mother's side. She was Jane Coffey, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Osborne of Nelson Co., VA. His father was a Mr. Taliaferro, identified thru DNA testing.

Wilfred was the third child and second son of 10 children born to Saylor and Celestial. He married Nannie Charline Lepard on Dec. 8, 1934 in Roanoke, VA where Nannie was born in 1912. The couple had no known children and were divorced on Oct. 12, 1935.  Wilfred returned to live with his parents where he was found in the 1940 federal census of North Roanoke, Big Lick Twp., Roanoke Co., VA and was employed as a truck driver.

On Dec. 9, 1944, Wilfred and Sarah Shackelford Waddell were married at Hilton Village community at Newport News, VA.  No record has yet been found for children born to this union.

Probably the saddest event in Wilfred's life occurred on May 17, 1950.  He was a salesman for a car company in Newport News, VA on that date.  Upon returning to the dealership - time of day given as "last night" - and making a turn into the lot, a 3-yr old little girl jumped from her parents parked car and into the path of Wilfred's car.  She was seriously injured and died some three hours later and a local hospital.

These four paragraphs were part of a larger article on traffic deaths found in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, VA on May 17, 1950. It describes what happened but not what, if any, charges Wilfred faced.

After the death of Sarah in 1969, Wilfred married Clarice Lee Jessup Christian.  Clarice was born May 5, 1921 in Stokes Co., NC and died at High Point on Feb. 22, 2016. No children are known.

Wilfred and Clarice are buried at Floral Garden Memorial Park in High Point, Guilford Co., NC.

Additions and corrections welcomed.