Isle of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Cofer, Andrew, 1940 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ ANDREW COFER, 58, PASSES SUDDENLY Smithfield Merchant Found Unconscious, Dies in Coma; Final Rites Sunday Andrew Cofer, 58, many years a prominent Smithfield business man, died at 4 yesterday afternoon at Sykes hotel at Smithfield after only one day's illness. He was found in the early morning, unconscious, on the floor of his room and died without regaining consciousness. Mr. Cofer had been in good health prior to his sudden illness. Funeral services will be held at 3 Sunday afternoon at the Ivy Hill cemetery. The procession will leave the home of Dr. and Mrs. G. Hugh Warren on Main street, Smithfield. Nephews of the deceased will serve as active pallbearers - P.L. Cofer, W.R. Cofer, W.M. Cofer, C.L. Cofer, P.D. Cofer, C.C. Cofer, B.R. Cofer, and E.P. Cofer. Friends will serve as honorary pallbearers. Mr. Cofer was born Oct. 12, 1881. He was a son of the late John Randolph Cofer and Mrs. Rebecca Bell Cofer. He attended public schools in Isle of Wight county and began his business career as a grocer at Smithfield in 1912. Later he engaged in the hardware business, and since 1923 had operated an automobile agency. He was a charter member of the Rotary club, from which he later resigned; and a member of the Smithfield Baptist church, in which he had been a deacon many years. He married Mrs. Laura Bell Jones of Smithfield Oct. 7, 1907. She died June 29, 1915 [sic*]. He was a brother of Benjamin R. Cofer of Newport News, who died suddenly July 26. Surviving are four brothers - N.E. Cofer of Newport News, and C.J., Russell, and John W. Cofer of Isle of Wight county; and a sister, Mrs. Elmo Batten of Smithfield. ****************************************************************************** ANDREW COFER Smithfield - Funeral services for Andrew Cofer, 58-year old Smithfield automobile dealer and prominent in business here for many years who died unexpectedly at the Sykes Hotel Friday after a one-day illness, will be held at 3 o'clock Sunday.    Found on the floor of his room, Mr. Cofer died without regaining consciousness.     The funeral procession will leave the home of Dr. and Mrs. G. Hugh Warren on Main Street Sunday afternoon with services following at 3 p.m. in Ivy Hill Cemetery.     Surviving are four brothers, N.E. Cofer of Newport News, C.J., Russell and John W. Cofer, all of Isle of Wight County, and one sister, Mrs. Elmo Batten of Smithfield.    His wife, the former Miss Laura Bell Jones of Smithfield died in 1915 and a brother, Benjamin of Newport News, died suddenly July 26.   Cofer attended the public school of Isle of Wight and began business as a Smithfield grocer in 1912.  Subsequently he was engaged in the hardware business before beginning the operation of an automobile agency in 1923.    He had been a deacon of the Smithfield Baptist Church for many years.  He was a charter member of the Rotary Club, but had resigned. ****************************************************************************** [photo, captioned:] FUNERAL TODAY Funeral services for Andrew Cofer, 58, prominent Smithfield merchant and churchman who died Friday after a day's illness, will be held at 3 this afternoon at the graveside in Ivy Hill cemetery. The procession will leave the home of Dr. and Mrs. J. [sic; G.] Hugh Warren on Main Street, Smithfield. Cofer Funeral To Be Conducted At 3 P. M. Today Funeral services will be held at 3 this afternoon at the graveside in Ivy Hill cemetery for Andrew Cofer, 58, prominent Smithfield business man and churchman who died at Sykes hotel in Smithfield at 4 Friday afternoon after being ill one day. The procession will leave the home of Dr. and Mrs. G. Hugh Warren, Main Street, Smithfield. Mr. Cofer was found unconscious on the floor of his room Friday morning and died without regaining consciousness. He had apparently been in good health until his sudden illness. Active pallbearers will be P.L. Cofer, W.R. Cofer, W.M. Cofer, C.L. Cofer, P.D. Cofer, C.C. Cofer, B.R. Cofer, and E.P. Cofer, all nephews of the deceased. The honorary escort will be comprised other friends of the family. Mr. Cofer was a son of the late John Randolph Cofer and Mrs. Rebecca Bell Cofer and was born Oct. 12, 1881. After attending the public schools of Isle of Wight county, he began his business career as a grocer in Smithfield in 1912. He later engaged in the hardware business, and since 1923 had operated an automobile agency. He was a charter member of the Rotary club, but later resigned; and was a member of the Smithfield Baptist church, of which he had been a deacon for many years. He married Mrs. Laura Bell Jones, of Smithfield, Oct. 7, 1907, and she died June 29, 1915 [sic*]. He was a brother of Benjamin R. Cofer, of Newport News, who died suddenly July 26. Surviving are four brothers - N.E. Cofer of Newport News; C.J., Russell, and John W. Cofer, of Isle of Wight county; and one sister, Mrs. Elmo Batten, of Smithfield. ****************************************************************************** A. Cofer Funeral Held Sun. Funeral services were held at 3 Sunday afternoon at the graveside in Ivy Hill cemetery for Andrew Cofer, 58, prominent Smithfield business man for many years, who died at the Sykes hotel in Smithfield at 4 Friday afternoon after being ill one day. The procession left the home of Dr. and Mrs. G. Hugh Warren, Main Street, Smithfield. Mr. Cofer was found unconscious on the floor of his room Friday morning and died without regaining consciousness. He had apparently been in good health until his sudden illness. Active pallbearers were P.L. Cofer, W.R. Cofer, W.M. Cofer, C.L. Cofer. P.D. Cofer, C.C. Cofer, B.R. Cofer and E.P. Cofer, all nephews of the deceased. The honorary escort was comprised of other friends of the family. Mr. Cofer was the son of the late John Randolph and Rebecca Bell Cofer and was born October 12, 1881. After attending the public schools of Isle of Wight county, he began his business career as a grocer in Smithfield in 1912. He later engaged in the hardware business, and since 1923 had operated an automobile agency. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club, but later resigned; and was a member of the Smithfield Baptist church, of which he had been a deacon for many years. He married Miss Laura Bell Jones, of Smithfield, October 7, 1907, and she died June 29, 1915. He was a brother of Benjamin Cofer of Newport News, who died suddenly July 26. Surviving are four brothers - N.E. Cofer, of Newport News; C.J., Russell and John W. Cofer, of Isle of Wight county; and one sister, Mrs. Elmo Batten, of Smithfield. Andrew COFER, businessman - Chevrolet dealer, b. 12 Oct 1881, Smithfield, d. 9 Aug 1940, at home, Smithfield, interred in Ivy Hill Cemetery*, Smithfield, 11 Aug 1940, "Daily Press" (Newport News, VA), Sat., Aug. 10, 1940; "Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch," Aug. 11, 1940; donated obit, publication unknown, Sun., Aug. 11, 1940, posted with Find a Grave Memorial #104194855 by Henry May; "Smithfield (VA) Times," Vol. 21, No. 20, Thurs., Aug. 15, 1940, p. 1 *Isle of Wight County Historical Society {IWCHS} Grave Site Survey Task Force {GSSTF} Ivy Hill report #48: http://www.iwchs.com/Cemetery-Reports.html Photos of his gravestone & family plot - added by Laurie (Thompson) Mercer - are also posted with Find a Grave Memorial #104194855. D.Cert. 19365 (Newport #24) His parents are buried in a COFER family cemetery, 11533 Stallings Creek Dr. {IWCHS GSSTF #144} Andrew Cofer, 26, single, b. IoW, sn/o John R. & Rebecca Cofer, m. 5 Oct 1908, in Isle of Wight Co., Laura Bell Jones, 20, single, b. IoW, dt/o William Y. & Nancy Jones (source: FamilySearch.org "Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940") Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Carolyn Keen (VAHistoricHouses@aol.com) & Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/c160a1ob.txt