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Wayne Arthur “Corky” Coffman passed into his new life on Monday, March 26, 2007 at the age of 78. He was born on February 10, 1929 in Cohoma, Texas. He grew up in West Texas around Ft. Stockton, moving to Rocksprings when he was a senior in high school. He graduated from Rocksprings High School in 1947. He was in the Army from 1950 to 1952 and spent a year in Korea.
“Corky” and Dudley Arlett Edwards were married in Ft. Smith, Arkansas on December 31, 1950. The two celebrated their 56th anniversay on New Year’s Eve 2006.
After he was discharged from the Army, they moved back to Rocksprings and raised six children. He loved to fish and taught all his children and 18 grand-children to fish.
After his discharge from the Army, Coffman moved back to Rocksprings to work for his father-in-law, Dud Edwards. He worked at that job for twenty years. He also had a wholesale milk business for several years and owned and operated the Gulf Service Station for some time. In 1976, he started working for La Vaca Gas Company, now Valero Energy Corporation, from which he retired in 1994.
He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
“Corky” was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Myrtle Spears and sister, Maxine Wynne. He is survived by his wife Dudley Coffman and children: Penny Coffman; Wesley Coffman and wife, Angie; Winn Coffman and wife, Autumn; Corrine Cottle and husband, Stan; Kate Allie Holdridge and husband, Tim; Carrie Gerland and husband, Louis. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren: Chad Coffman, Shelli Poteet, Adam Coffman, Zack Coffman, Michael Galindo, Lance Coffman, Pace Coffman, Trezure Coffman, Roy Cottle, Lisa Cottle, Colby Cottle, Kayla Cottle, Hunter Holdridge, Carter Holdridge, Allie Holdridge, Shane McNeill, Kyle Jones and Matty Jones. His 6 great-grandchildren are: Patrick Poteet, Paxton Poteet, Mason Coffman, Adyson Coffman, Montana Coffman and Keely Coffman; his brother J. C. Coffman and wife Betty; sisters Bobbie Lou Reed and Nelda Ledford. He is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces.
Services for “Corky” were held at 2:00 p.m. in Nelson Funeral Home on Friday, March 30th, 2007. His granddaughter, Mattie Jones, read the following letter, which she wrote, at his funeral.
Dear Papaw Corky,
Papaw was one of the favorite people in my life. We spent many hours playing all kinds of games together. He was my Best Friend and I didn’t want him to go so soon, but I know he’s in a much better place now and the Lord will take very good care of him. Papaw and I had school every afternoon and he and Gertie (his little dog) were the students and I was the teacher. Sometimes he would tell me to give Gertie a zero because she wouldn’t listen!
I used to show Papaw all my new cheers that I learned and he’d just love them. He was really the only one I wasn’t embarrassed to show my cheers to. He was really so special to me. When I prayed a couple of nights ago, I asked the Lord to let him catch the biggest catfish, because he really loved fishing.
Papaw’s nickname for me was “Cat” and that’s what he mostly called me. I loved him so much and I hope that he will be my Guardian Angel, to protect me and tell me right from wrong. I will miss him a whole bunch, but someday I will catch up to him and we’ll get to play all the games we used to play. Papaw was a good “kid”!
Love,
“Cat” Matty Jones
Burial followed in Rocksprings Cemetery. Pastor Albert Green of Rocksprings officiated. Pallbearers were James Ledford, Tinker Tomlinson, Dave Thurman, Mark Gilley, Charles Albert Becker and Wilson Turpen. Honorary pallbearers were all of his many friends.