Charles Francis Coffey was born Apr. 23, 1917 in Roanoke County, Virginia to Wallace Berga and Carrie 'Snedegar' Coffey. Sometime in the late 1920's or early 1930's, the Coffey family moved to Dallas, Texas. Charles Francis much preferred to be called Frank. In 1935, he met and married Mary Oleta Sullivan (Silivent). In 1937 their only child, Bertha Jean was born at their home on Pennsylvania Avenue in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after, they acquired a little terrier, whose name I cannot recall, and he was the second darling of their small family. After having their pet for a little over a year, Frank came home one day from work as a plumber, only to witness their little dog being run down as he ran to greet his master. Frank leaped back into his truck and tried to catch the person responsible to no avail. He returned home to a saddened and grieving wife and child.
In 1939, Frank lost his beloved mother to massive heart attack. Shortly before World War II, Frank's father also passed away from a heart attack. After December 7, 1941, Frank enlisted in the service in spite of his wife's fearful protests.
With the strain of losing his parents so close together, the ongoing disagreement of his enlistment, and his newly found roving eye proved to be too much for the marriage to endure. Their wedded bliss ended in divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Throughout the ensuing years, he continued to keep in contact with his daughter, Bertha Jean.
After his enlistment, Frank continued to ply his trade as a plumber, as did his father before him. At some point in the 1950's, Frank married once more to a woman named Lee, and became step-father to her two sons. No biological children were born of this union. Ever the animal lover, and once he had a stable home life, he adopted a dachsund which he ironically named Shotzie.
In later life, Frank struggled with cardiac problems that required surgery in 1972. As he progressively grew more ill during his last year, Lee would not allow Jean to speak with her father, nor was Frank able to rise from his bed to get to the phone to call. Therefore, Jean had no knowledge of how ill he had become during this time.
On March 21, 1982, Jean was reading the Sunday newspaper on the evening of her own son's 18th birthday, and to her shock and horror, stumbled upon her father's obituary that Lee had placed. Frank had died the previous Sunday, and his daughter was not notified of his death.
In 1939, Frank lost his beloved mother to massive heart attack. Shortly before World War II, Frank's father also passed away from a heart attack. After December 7, 1941, Frank enlisted in the service in spite of his wife's fearful protests.
With the strain of losing his parents so close together, the ongoing disagreement of his enlistment, and his newly found roving eye proved to be too much for the marriage to endure. Their wedded bliss ended in divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Throughout the ensuing years, he continued to keep in contact with his daughter, Bertha Jean.
After his enlistment, Frank continued to ply his trade as a plumber, as did his father before him. At some point in the 1950's, Frank married once more to a woman named Lee, and became step-father to her two sons. No biological children were born of this union. Ever the animal lover, and once he had a stable home life, he adopted a dachsund which he ironically named Shotzie.
In later life, Frank struggled with cardiac problems that required surgery in 1972. As he progressively grew more ill during his last year, Lee would not allow Jean to speak with her father, nor was Frank able to rise from his bed to get to the phone to call. Therefore, Jean had no knowledge of how ill he had become during this time.
On March 21, 1982, Jean was reading the Sunday newspaper on the evening of her own son's 18th birthday, and to her shock and horror, stumbled upon her father's obituary that Lee had placed. Frank had died the previous Sunday, and his daughter was not notified of his death.
Charles Francis Coffey was born Apr. 23, 1917 in Roanoke County, Virginia to Wallace Berga and Carrie 'Snedegar' Coffey. Sometime in the late 1920's or early 1930's, the Coffey family moved to Dallas, Texas. Charles Francis much preferred to be called Frank. In 1935, he met and married Mary Oleta Sullivan (Silivent). In 1937 their only child, Bertha Jean was born at their home on Pennsylvania Avenue in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after, they acquired a little terrier, whose name I cannot recall, and he was the second darling of their small family. After having their pet for a little over a year, Frank came home one day from work as a plumber, only to witness their little dog being run down as he ran to greet his master. Frank leaped back into his truck and tried to catch the person responsible to no avail. He returned home to a saddened and grieving wife and child.
In 1939, Frank lost his beloved mother to massive heart attack. Shortly before World War II, Frank's father also passed away from a heart attack. After December 7, 1941, Frank enlisted in the service in spite of his wife's fearful protests.
With the strain of losing his parents so close together, the ongoing disagreement of his enlistment, and his newly found roving eye proved to be too much for the marriage to endure. Their wedded bliss ended in divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Throughout the ensuing years, he continued to keep in contact with his daughter, Bertha Jean.
After his enlistment, Frank continued to ply his trade as a plumber, as did his father before him. At some point in the 1950's, Frank married once more to a woman named Lee, and became step-father to her two sons. No biological children were born of this union. Ever the animal lover, and once he had a stable home life, he adopted a dachsund which he ironically named Shotzie.
In later life, Frank struggled with cardiac problems that required surgery in 1972. As he progressively grew more ill during his last year, Lee would not allow Jean to speak with her father, nor was Frank able to rise from his bed to get to the phone to call. Therefore, Jean had no knowledge of how ill he had become during this time.
On March 21, 1982, Jean was reading the Sunday newspaper on the evening of her own son's 18th birthday, and to her shock and horror, stumbled upon her father's obituary that Lee had placed. Frank had died the previous Sunday, and his daughter was not notified of his death.
In 1939, Frank lost his beloved mother to massive heart attack. Shortly before World War II, Frank's father also passed away from a heart attack. After December 7, 1941, Frank enlisted in the service in spite of his wife's fearful protests.
With the strain of losing his parents so close together, the ongoing disagreement of his enlistment, and his newly found roving eye proved to be too much for the marriage to endure. Their wedded bliss ended in divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Throughout the ensuing years, he continued to keep in contact with his daughter, Bertha Jean.
After his enlistment, Frank continued to ply his trade as a plumber, as did his father before him. At some point in the 1950's, Frank married once more to a woman named Lee, and became step-father to her two sons. No biological children were born of this union. Ever the animal lover, and once he had a stable home life, he adopted a dachsund which he ironically named Shotzie.
In later life, Frank struggled with cardiac problems that required surgery in 1972. As he progressively grew more ill during his last year, Lee would not allow Jean to speak with her father, nor was Frank able to rise from his bed to get to the phone to call. Therefore, Jean had no knowledge of how ill he had become during this time.
On March 21, 1982, Jean was reading the Sunday newspaper on the evening of her own son's 18th birthday, and to her shock and horror, stumbled upon her father's obituary that Lee had placed. Frank had died the previous Sunday, and his daughter was not notified of his death.
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