1926
John
2009
John Stowell Coffin
December 12, 1926 — November 7, 2009
John S. Coffin, 82, of Stoneham, died Saturday, November 7, 2009, at Salem Hospital after a short illness. His beloved wife of forty years, Iva, died in 1989.
John was the son of Irving and Tillie (Baker) Coffin, who lived in Stoneham for many years. He was born in Choate Hospital in Woburn, MA on December 12, 1926 and spent his childhood summers at the Baker family house in Wellfleet on Cape Cod, which later became his beloved vacation home. He attended Stoneham High School, where he was a standout baseball pitcher, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1944 to serve in the Pacific theater on an LSM 492 in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He liked to say he never got seasick because he was used to being out on the water thanks to his long summers fishing in Wellfleet. He returned home and received an honorable discharge on August 12, 1946.
John worked with his father, Irving, at Charles E. Coffin and Son, the family business which had been established in 1880 manufacturing window shades, venetian blinds and draperies. After his father passed away in 1964, he took over the business, which he ran until his retirement in 2006. During his free time, he loved to ride the rails and work on his extensive model-railroading layout. John was also a diehard Red Sox fan and he loved to watch every game, through good times and bad. John treasured the time he spent with his family in Wellfleet where he enjoyed seafood, Moxie, going on scenic car rides, and relaxing on the front porch. He was fiercely independent, hard working, and a proud American. He was truly one of America's "Greatest Generation".
John was extraordinarily devoted to his family and was always there to lend a hand, be it moving into a new house or apartment, or any project his expertise was needed for. He was a highly skilled handyman who thrived on renovation projects and could build or fix anything. He will always be cherished by his family and friends as a gentlemen and a caring and decent man. His kind soul, dry sense of humor, and loving spirit will be deeply missed by his family and all those who knew and loved him.
He is survived by his sons, Peter Coffin and Douglas Coffin, of Stoneham, and his daughters, Meredith Coffin, Kristin Pineau and her husband John, of Stoneham, Brenda Coffin and Jeff Calder, of Arlington, and Cheryl Coffin and her husband Blaine Stone, of Boxford, along with his four grandchildren, Michael, Emily, Brittany, and Samantha.
Family and friends are kindly invited to gather and share remembrances with the family on Wednesday from 3-5 pm at the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main St. (RT28) STONEHAM. Parking attendants will be available. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Barile Family Funeral Home. Interment Lindenwood Cemetery in Stoneham.
Please honor John with donations to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01201.
John was the son of Irving and Tillie (Baker) Coffin, who lived in Stoneham for many years. He was born in Choate Hospital in Woburn, MA on December 12, 1926 and spent his childhood summers at the Baker family house in Wellfleet on Cape Cod, which later became his beloved vacation home. He attended Stoneham High School, where he was a standout baseball pitcher, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1944 to serve in the Pacific theater on an LSM 492 in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He liked to say he never got seasick because he was used to being out on the water thanks to his long summers fishing in Wellfleet. He returned home and received an honorable discharge on August 12, 1946.
John worked with his father, Irving, at Charles E. Coffin and Son, the family business which had been established in 1880 manufacturing window shades, venetian blinds and draperies. After his father passed away in 1964, he took over the business, which he ran until his retirement in 2006. During his free time, he loved to ride the rails and work on his extensive model-railroading layout. John was also a diehard Red Sox fan and he loved to watch every game, through good times and bad. John treasured the time he spent with his family in Wellfleet where he enjoyed seafood, Moxie, going on scenic car rides, and relaxing on the front porch. He was fiercely independent, hard working, and a proud American. He was truly one of America's "Greatest Generation".
John was extraordinarily devoted to his family and was always there to lend a hand, be it moving into a new house or apartment, or any project his expertise was needed for. He was a highly skilled handyman who thrived on renovation projects and could build or fix anything. He will always be cherished by his family and friends as a gentlemen and a caring and decent man. His kind soul, dry sense of humor, and loving spirit will be deeply missed by his family and all those who knew and loved him.
He is survived by his sons, Peter Coffin and Douglas Coffin, of Stoneham, and his daughters, Meredith Coffin, Kristin Pineau and her husband John, of Stoneham, Brenda Coffin and Jeff Calder, of Arlington, and Cheryl Coffin and her husband Blaine Stone, of Boxford, along with his four grandchildren, Michael, Emily, Brittany, and Samantha.
Family and friends are kindly invited to gather and share remembrances with the family on Wednesday from 3-5 pm at the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main St. (RT28) STONEHAM. Parking attendants will be available. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Barile Family Funeral Home. Interment Lindenwood Cemetery in Stoneham.
Please honor John with donations to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01201.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Stowell Coffin, please visit our flower store.
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