news and events » obituaries

Obituaries Header

Obituaries

return to Obituaries

Joseph H. Coffin ( Missoula 1945 )

posted: Mar 17, 2010

Joe died February 21, 2010, in LaVerne, California. He was a member of the CPS-103 jumpers and jumped at Missoula during the 1945 season.

He was born November 15, 1919, in Richmond, Indiana. Joe moved to California from Indiana in 1923 when his father was appointed dean of Whittier College. He graduated from Whittier H.S. where he was active in sports, theatre and student government.

Joe entered Whittier College and was active in theatre and picked up some bit parts at Columbia Studios and a feature role in one film in 1938.
He Joe graduated from Whittier, a Quaker college, in 1941.

Joe entered Civilian Public Service in 1942, first in California and transferring to Spokane, WA where he hear about smokejumping. He jumped the 1945 season with six training and three fire jumps.

Joe spent his professional career teaching Auto Mechanics at the high school level. He and his wife, Audine, started a television research and survey company that later merged into the American Research Bureau.

Throughout his life, he was involved in peace functions, community and with the First Friends Church.