Larry Don Coffey

Larry Don Coffey died on Friday November 2, 2012 after succumbing to complications from liver disease.  He peacefully passed away at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Don was born on Septermber 5, 1953 in McKinney, Texas the middle child of LD and Clovene Godwin Coffey.  He grew up in Wylie, Texas and attended all twelve years of school there, graduating from Wylie High School in 1972.  He then enrolled at East Texas State University and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology.  While in college he worked at the East Texas Bookstore.  Upon graduation he was a co-founder of Texas Book Company. He left to become a co-owner of Commerce Athletic. Then he and his father owned and operated Coffey Construction Company for several years.  He moved on to a career in the defense industry at Raytheon, E-Systems and finally retired from L-3, where he served as the supervisor of the NDI lab for many years.

Don married Lisa Touchstone on May 22, 1976.  They were in the same first grade class and began dating their senior year of high school and continued through college.  Together they settled in Commerce and raised three sons.  Growing up he especially enjoyed fishing with his grandfather Coffey and his love of fishing continued throughout his life.  He also loved spending time in his shop listening to music and working on projects for friends and family. His three boys, and the young men they turned into, were his proudest accomplishment.  He took special joy in his grandchildren and loved to get them doughnuts in the morning as a special treat whenever they spent the night in Commerce.

Don is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their children: Logan and his wife, Brandy and their daughter Hayden of Rowlett, Ryan and his wife, Kellie and children Addison and Ryder of Garland, and his son Kegan and girlfriend Mandy Hill of Commerce.  He is also survived by his parents, LD and Clovene Coffey of St. Paul, his brother, Mike and his wife Debi of Mesquite, and his sister, Kay Eastham and her husband Billy of Wylie.

The family will have a celebration of Don's life from 2-4 on Wednesday November 7th.  There will be a brief memorial at 2:30 led by his brother, Mike, and his friend Terry Dooley, and then the family would like to visit and remember happy times with Don.  We look forward to sharing memories of Don's life.  The celebration will be held at the Commerce Funeral Home located at 1505 Washington Street in Commerce.  Memorial gifts can be made online to Operation Homefront or Homes for Our Troops.