Posted on 12/20/2007 11:01:17 PM PST by lunarbicep
The last World War One veteran in Ohio -- and 1 of 3 known remaining U.S. veterans from World War I -- has died.
A funeral home says J. Russell Coffey died yesterday at the age of 109.
Coffey has been living in the Blakely Care Center in North Baltimore.
Coffey didn't see action overseas. He enlisted in the Army while he was a student at Ohio State University in October 1918, a month before the Allied powers and Germany signed a cease-fire agreement.
Coffey played semipro baseball, earned a doctorate in education from New York University, taught in high school and college and raised a family.
He drove his car until he was 104. He lived on his own until three years ago.
Funeral services for Coffey will be held tomorrow.
Well along the same mortality lines it reminded me that when I was a kid there were still a few civil war vets around, and lots that had been alive then.
Bump
Harry Richard Landis , 108
Frank Woodruff Buckles, 106
U.S. World War I veterans who died in 2007
Emiliano Mercado del Toro, 115, January 24, 2007
Albert Frederick 'Jud' Wagner, 107, January 20, 2007
Antonio "Tony" Pierro, 110, February 8, 2007
Howard Verne Ramsey, 108, February 22, 2007
Charlotte Winters, 109, March 27, 2007
Lloyd Brown, 105, March 29, 2007
Russell Coffey, 109, December 20, 2007
They’re dropping like flies. Nine came into the year, only 2 may make it out.
He sounds like a remarkable man. May he RIP.
My grandmother’s brother served in WWI. He lived to 93.
I tried to ask him about his service once. He just turned white and gave a blank stare. He must have seen some nasty stuff for it to affect him that way after 70 years.
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