J. Coffer, Jr.

The Rev. J. Henry Coffer, Jr., age 78 of Hendersonville, ended his long battle with colon cancer on June 4, 2009. He died at his home, surrounded by family, in Hendersonville, TN. Born October 25, 1930 in Detroit, MI, he was raised in Savannah, GA. He graduated summa cum laude from Mercer University and held graduate degrees from Yale Divinity School, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. He served as pastor of Baptist Churches from 1949-1960 and taught at Southeastern from 1957-1962 and at Meredith College from 1962-1966. In 1968, he co-founded The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy in Chicago, IL. He was a Diplomate with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and maintained a clinical practice for many years in Chicago including Counseling Ministries, which he also founded, and the Tolentine Personal Resource Center in Olympia Fields, IL. In 1990, he established The Realty Association in Nashville, TN. He earned his CRB and GRI Realtor designations, and served at various times as the Company's Broker, President and CEO. In 1994, he became a member of First United Church, UCC, in Nashville. From that time until his death, he maintained Standing and Privilege of Call with The Alabama-Tennessee Association, Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ. The Rev. Coffer is survived by his wife, Dorothy L. Taylor; son, James G. Sue Chatt Coffer and Jonathan J. Schwarz; daughter, Heidi J. Eric Bangloy Schwarz; grandchildren, Garrett, Sadie, Abi and Katy Coffer, and Sophie Bangloy; and sister, June Bob Guthrie. Memorial services will be held Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 2 P.M., at the First United Church, 3410 Granny White Pike, Nashville, TN 37204. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Cedarcroft Home, P.O. Box 1266, Lebanon, TN 37087-1266.