Coffeen, Charles E. "Chuck" 1918-2006
COFFEEN, OLSON, REARDON, NELSON, FRASER, LESETH, ROBBE
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/21/2012 at 11:15:48
Charles E. "Chuck" Coffeen, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, died Tuesday morning, November 14, 2006 at the Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home in Decorah.
Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, November 17, 2006 at First United Methodist Church in Decorah by Rev. Carol A. Kress. Private Family inurnment will be in Phelps Cemetery, with Full Military Honors.
There is no visitation. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is in charge of arrangements.
Charles “Chuck” Everett Coffeen was born February 14, 1918, in Decorah, IA, the son of A.R. “Roy” and Ida (Olson) Coffeen. He was baptized June 12, 1918, and confirmed June 19, 1932, at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. He was a member of First United Methodist Church since January 9, 1949. He graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1936, attended the University of Iowa for two years and graduated from Luther College with the class of 1941.
Charles was united in marriage to Everetta “Red” Reardon on February 1, 1943, in a private ceremony at the Decorah home of the bride’s parents, Everett E. Reardon and Eva (Nelson) Reardon. To this union, two sons were born, Michael and Paul. Chuck worked for the A.R. Coffeen Construction Company from 1941 to 1942. He joined the Frank Mashuda Construction Company in 1942 where he worked on the Pittsburgh Airport. From 1943 to 1946 he served in the U.S. Army. The major portion of his service was with Security Intelligence Corps as a Special Agent, investigating espionage, sabotage and applications for military security positions including the Manhattan Project. His unit received the Meritorious Award for successful prosecution of war crimes by Japanese officers. Beginning in 1946 and going through 1975, he was partner with his father, Roy Coffeen, in the A.R. Coffeen Company, building interstate highway bridges in Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. He took great pride in building the first interstate system bridges on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and then the Ohio Turnpike. For a number of years in the 1950’s he was a partner with his brother, Davis Coffeen and his father in the A.R. Coffeen & Sons Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Starting in 1975 through 1985, he was with Erdman Engineering in Decorah.
Charles was a member of Associated General Contractors of Iowa & Wisconsin and a member of the Porter House Board of Directors in the 1970’s. He was the president of the First United Methodist Church Finance Committee in the 1970’s and served as a member on the Planning & Zoning Committee of the City of Decorah from 1986 to 1996. He was also a member of Oneota Golf & Country Club and the Decorah Elks Club. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity during his time at the University of Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Everetta “Red” Coffeen on August 4, 1999; two brothers, Hale and Davis Coffeen; and his parents, A.R. “Roy” Coffeen and Ida (Olson) Coffeen.
Survivors include his two sons, Michael (Karen Fraser) Coffeen of Fort Wayne, IN, and Paul (Adrienne Leseth) Coffeen of Decorah, IA; his brother, Peter N. Coffeen of New York, NY; his sister, Helen (Jim) Robbe of Hartford, WI; and three grandchildren, Aaron Coffeen of Ft. Collins, CO, Fraser Coffeen and Charles R. Coffeen, both of Chicago, IL.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Phelps Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen