WILSON J. COAN 1911-2003

JORDAN, COAN, PAULSEN, BONNER, FEENEY, DE VINCENTIS

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 20:29:41

Wilson J. Coan

Telegraph Herald - Dec 18, 2003

Wilson J. "Rags" Coan, 92, of Stonehill Care Center, Dubuque, formerly of Princeton, N.J., died Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, at the care center.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Dubuque. Burial will be in Princeton. Friends may call from 3 to 7:30 p.m. today at the church, where there will be the parish wake service at 7:30 p.m. The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home, 2659 Kennedy Road, Dubuque, is in charge of arrangements.

He was born on Feb. 3, 1911, in Princeton, son of William "Bill" and Winifred Jordan Coan.

He graduated from Princeton High School, the Hun School, Dean Academy and Rutgers University.

A retired lieutenant colonel from the Air National Guard, he served in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Berlin Crises.

A social worker, he retired from the New Jersey Department of Institutions and Agencies, where he coordinated, among other things, the Cuban Refugee Program. He also was a civil defense coordinator for the state of New Jersey, and implemented the Mercer County Community Poverty Program.

He lived in Princeton until moving to Stonehill in 1998.

Surviving are two daughters, Mary Rush Coan (Gregory D. Paulsen), of Dubuque, and Elizabeth Cummings Coan, of Cape May, N.J.; four grandchildren, Elizabeth Coan Paulsen of San Bernardino, Calif., and Luke Coan Paulsen, Ben Coan Paulsen and Hana Coan Paulsen, and foster granddaughter, Sandra Lovejoy, all of Dubuque.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Bonner Coan; his parents; and four siblings, Bill and Walter Coan, Mary Feeney and Theresa De Vincentis.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Area Residential Care, Dubuque Boys and Girls Club, Clarke College Campus Ministry, Stonehill Care Center or the charity of your choice.