Roll Call Tribute

Bartley Funeral Home obituary

Lee "Clayton" Coffey Ph.D.
(October 6, 1916 - May 18, 2013)

Lee Clayton Coffey, 96, of Plainview, TX passed away on the 18th of May, 2013, in Plainview, TX.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Thursday, May 23, 2013 at First Presbyterian Church with Reverend David Hawkins officiating. The family will receive friends from 6-8 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home. Services are under the direction of Bartley Funeral Home.

Lee was born on October 6, 1916 in Zephyr, TX to Jon Narvin and Molley Couch Coffey. He married “Sunny” Jackson on February 1, 1944 in Richardson, TX. They lived in Mason, Taylor, Fisher and Comanche counties where he served as a Country Agricultural Agent and in College Station where he was a special agronomist and Director of the Foundation Seed Program for Texas A&M. They moved to Plainview in 1964 to form the Excel Seed Co. Inc. He served in the U.S. Naval Air Corps during WWII and received BS and MA degree from his beloved Texas A&M and a Ph. D. from Iowa State College in Ames, IA.

Survivors include his beloved wife “Sunny” Coffey of Plainview; one daughter, Robyn Kay Coffey of Weatherford, TX and one son, Lee “Pete” Jackson Coffey of Lubbock; three grandchildren: Heather Coffey and Jamie Coffey of Austin, TX and Mari with husband Michael Urena II of Lafayette, LA with their two children Michael Lee III and Tristyn Michelle; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, five siblings, and a daughter, Vicki Lynn Coffey. Memorial contributions may be made to the Scholarship Fund at First Presbyterian Church, 2101 Utica, Plainview, TX 79072, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, PO Box 1890, Amarillo, TX 79174 or a favorite charity. Online condolences may be made at www.bartleyfuneralhome.net.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Obituary sent by daughter

In memory of Lee C. Coffey, '40

We are saddened to announce the passing of Lee C. “Doc” Coffey, founder of Coffey Seed Company and father of Robyn Coffey, Willhite Seed Inc.

Lee C. Coffey, age 96, a Plainview resident passed away Saturday May 18th, 2013.  A Memorial Service was held at 1:00 pm Thursday May 23rd at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. David Hawkins officiating.  Visitation will followed in the Fellowship Court of the church.  Services were entrusted to Bartley Funeral Home. 

Lee Clayton Coffey was born October 6, 1916 in Zephyr, Texas.  He attended Zephyr schools, before moving to Brownwood and graduating from Brownwood High School.  After graduation he attended Texas A&M University, receiving BS and MS degrees in agriculture.  He taught Vocational Agriculture in Richardson, Texas.  He married Sunshine “Sunny” Jackson on February 1, 1944.  He was a county agent in Mason, Fisher, Taylor and Comanche counties before returning to A&M to be an agronomist.  After receiving a Ph.D. in plant breeding from Iowa State he returned to A&M to head the Foundation Seed program.

Lee moved to Plainview in 1964 and formed the Excel Seed Company.  He bought Willhite Seed   Company in 1969, where he thoroughly enjoyed working with watermelons, cantaloupes and eventually breeding hybrids varieties.  Dr. Coffey returned to the sorghum industry by forming Coffey Seed Company, where he served as President for 30 years. 

Lee is preceded in death by his parents Jon Narvin and Molley Couch Coffey.  He is survived by his wife of 69 years, “Sunny” Coffey of Plainview, one son, Lee “Pete” Jackson Coffey of Lubbock, Texas and one
daughter, Robyn Kay Coffey of Weatherford, Texas. Three grandchildren, Heather and Jamieson D. Coffey of Austin, Texas and Mari and husband Michael Urena II of Lafayette, LA. their two children Michael Lee III and Tristyn Michelle and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the Scholarship Fund at First Presbyterian Church, 2101 Utica, Plainview, Texas 79072, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890 Amarillo, Texas 79174, Texas Seed Trade Association Foundation Scholarship, P.O. Box 29987, Austin, Texas 78755, or a charity of your choice.