Irvin Stewart (Pete) Coley, 91, departed this life Wednesday, June 27, 2012. Pete was born May 22, 1921 on his paternal grandparent’s farm north of Bryson in Jack County. His parents, Irvin Greene Coley and Minnie Denning Coley, were from early Jack County families. When only six weeks old, Pete and his parents moved to Jacksboro, the county seat of Jack County. To Pete, Jacksboro was home, no matter where he resided.
Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Friday, June 29, 2012, at the chapel of Kavanaugh United Methodist Church in Greenville under the direction of Coker-Mathews Funeral Home with Rev. Stephen Cotten officiating. Interment will be 9:00 AM Friday, prior to the funeral service at Merit Cemetery. A reception will be held at the church following the service.
While attending North Texas State Teacher College in Denton, he met and married Evelyn Seay in September, 1941. She predeceased him as did his second wife, Hazel Rogers. When World War II broke out, Pete worked as a draftsman at Consolidated Air Craft in San Diego and Fort Worth until he joined the 5th Allied Army, 85th Division, 337th Infantry Regiment, in 1944. After the war, he taught VA woodworking classes, served at a Texas Highway Patrolman, and delivered mail for the United States Postal Service. He was a life long member of the Methodist church.
Pete loved to hunt and fish. He always wanted to be a farmer and raise a few cows, but spent all his life in town. He was very talented with woodworking.
Survivors are daughter, Carol Coley Taylor and husband Michael E. Taylor of Greenville; son Dr. Jefferson Coley Moorman and wife, Sue Magers Moorman of Fayette, Colorado; grandchildren include Matthew Coley Taylor of University Park, Texas, Michelle Moorman and Nathan Moorman of Golden, Colorado; sister, Billie King of Canyon; an niece and a nephew.
The family would like to thank the staff at Tender Care in Greenville helping to make Pete’s last months more joyous. Donations in memory of Pete Coley can be made to First Methodist Church, 406 North Main Street, Jacksboro, Texas 76458.
