Chrystal Mae Coffey
Chrystal Mae Coffey, 86, died on Saturday (July 8, 2012)
following a hard-fought battle with lymphoma. She was born on Oct. 23, 1925, to
Esther and Fred Dawson in Garden City. She was the youngest of eight children.
She graduated from Garden City High School and became a successful business
woman, working as a civilian for the Air Force in Garden City and Pratt and
volunteering with the USO in the middle of World War II. She then worked as an
accountant for various businesses in the southwest Kansas area, and retired
from the Savings and Loan Business in Wichita in 1989.
She married Gordon Coffey of Kismet on Nov. 22, 1948. Eight
children were born to their union. He preceded her in death on Nov. 30, 1984.
Mrs. Coffey was very active in the communities in which she
lived, having volunteered for the Boy Scouts, served as a school board member
and in the United Methodist Church in multiple capacities in Kismet, Wichita
and Newton. She served on the Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging. While living
in Newton, she also volunteered for Youthville and Big Brothers/Big Sisters as
well as Newton Medical Center. In addition, she was a member of Beta Sigma Phi.
She had a passion for playing bridge and belonged to several bridge clubs.
Her children were her great pride. She is preceded in death
by her husband, parents, son-in-law (Terry Bauer) and six siblings. She is
survived by one sister, Esther Buchanan of Great Bend. She is also survived by
her children: Melody (Charles) Leavitt, Mound City; Gwen (Mike) Green,
Amarillo, Texas; Donna Bauer, Willits, Calif.; Rebecca Coffey, Newton; Neal
(Donna) Coffey, Waxahachie, Texas; Mike (Rose) Coffey, Tyler, Texas.; Linette
(Mike) Nash, Broken Arrow, Okla.; Jim (Jill) Coffey, Newton; 16 grandchildren;
and 16 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to
Trinity Heights United Methodist Church or Harry Hynes Hospice in care of the
funeral home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Heights United
Methodist Church in Newton.
