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| Wm. Harrison & Virginia Ringo Coffey |
Dr. William Harrison Coffey was also the father of a physician, Dr. Ralph Ringo Coffey. Dr. Richard Nightingale Coffey was also the father of two physicians, Dr. George McDowell Coffey, DDS and Dr. Erval Richard Coffey, MD.
The following mini-biography was prepared by Edward L, Stewart for the Jackson County [MO] Medical Society Weekly Bulletin, Vol. XXIII, No. 31, Aug. 5, 1939, and is through the courtesy of Marty Johnson, a granddaughter of Dr. Ralph Ringo Coffey.
William H. Coffey, born in Madison County, Kentucky, October 12, 1862, was one of five children. His brother James, a commercial traveler, died several years ago, and Richard N. was a physician. He graduated from the University Medical College, Kansas City, and practiced there until the time of his death in 1932. The third brother, Edward McDowell, now living at Grain Valley, Missouri, was formerly chief of the Kansas City Fire Department. His only sister, Elizabeth, who married Milton Wyatt of Kansas City, is deceased.
Dr. Coffey's father was Dr. William A. Coffey, who practiced medicine in Madison County, Kentucky, many years. He died there when William was twelve years old. As his mother had died two years previously, the five children were left orphans. They remained in Kentucky three years and then came to Missouri. Their father had a brother, Dr. Edward Coffey, who was then practicing medicine in Platte City. All but William lived with their uncle. William obtained work on various farms about Platte City, and saved his money to attend William Jewell College. For three or four years thereafter, he taught school in various districts about that city, spending his spare moments reading medicine in his uncle's office. He later entered the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis from which he graduated in 1886. The same year he moved to Parkville, where he opened his office, doing general practice and also serving as local surgeon for the Burlington Railroad.
On July 26, 1889, he married Miss Virginia Ringo, daughter of Dr. J. W. Ringo of Parkville. Dr. Coffey continued his practice in Parkville until 1900. Here their two children were born: Ralph R. Coffey, now a physician with officers in the Professional Building, and E. R. Coffey, a well known business man in Kansas City. In 1900 the Coffeys moved to Kansas City buying a hime at 500 Bellefontaine, which was at that time a desirable residential district.
Dr. Coffey lived in and practiced his profession in Kansas Cith for 25 years. He did general practice, specializing in Proctology, and was quite successful. He was Professor of Proctology in the Medico-Chirurgical College and after the school was absorbed by the University of Kansas, served the latter institution as Clinical Director of the Dispensary. He was chief of the Proctology Department of the General Hospital when it was first established. He wrote many papers on surgical subjects, some of which were published in medical journals. He also tried his hand at politics during his earlier days in Kansas City. He was Police Surgeon of the city in 1903-04 and Coroner of Jackson County in 1917-20. He is an honorary member of the J. C. M. S. and a member of the Independence Boulevard Christian Church of which he is a member of the board of Deacons. He belongs to the Masonic Temple Lodge No. 299, Orient Chapter R. A. M. No. 102, Oriental Commandery No. 35 and Ararat Shrine.
After practicing medicine and surgery in Kansas City for a quarter of a century, the doctor and his wife looked longingly toward the scenes of their early life. They bought a large farm, about 200 acres, one mile east of Parkville, and built thereon a magnificient, large stone house, high on a knoll from which you can see six counties - three in Missouri and three in Kansas. They named their home "Dream Haven." Here they live today.
Dr. Coffey is not practicing medicine today, but he has not retired. To him life has but one beginning and one retirement. He goes about his beautiful vine-covered home, "Dream Haven," doing just what interests him most. He is always busy carrying out his heart's desire. When the weather is bad, or when he just naturally feels inclined, he goes up to his study and writes on his latest book. It is the Doctor's custom to write and publish a short story at Christmas time and send copies to his many friends in lieu of Christmas cards. This, his hobby, he has done for last 14 years.
He was born and lived the early years of his life in the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky. He knows the simple people who live there and many of his stories have a Kentucky mountain setting. Then too, there is usually a physician playing a leading role in the story. His father was a physician there and he knows just what a mountaineer physician must be to hold the love and high esteem of the mountain folk.
On July 26, Doctor and Mrs. Coffey celebrated their 50th year of happy married live. They have lived their lives of love and service to mankind and to each other and are today reaping their golden reward. The Doctor is not really old - only in his seventies - and be it again understood he has not retired - just going about "Dream Haven," watching the birds, the trees in his yard, tending the flowers and writing stories.
To his happy couple we can only say: Congratulations, and may you live happily together, as you live today, for many years to come.
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| Obituary(s) for Dr. W. H. Coffey |
Photo and obituary also contributed by Marty Johnson
No. 985
