Judge Jeffrey V. Coen's Obituary
AN UNORTHDOX OBITUARY By Janet Coen COEN, JUDGE JEFFREY V. For as long as I have known Jeff he has tried to do things his own way; to place his unique stamp on all things Jeffrey Vincent Coen. As far as the law was concerned, his upmost regard for its integrity, kept him always, always passionate about his knowledge, his understanding and his ability to clearly interpret the statutes. It is my belief he was “doing” his profession his way, the only way he knew: honestly, fairly, with humiliation and great compassion. Jeff grew up in Creston, a small town in Iowa, and from the time he was a young boy he worked alongside his father and grandfather in the Coen Family Funeral Business. Let’s just say he did not grow to love the family’s trade. Over the years as we had ‘the talks’ about what each of us wanted at our own funeral service – he was very clear. “As little as possible, no obituary, and nothing sappy”, was his concise, precise statement. In an effort to comply with my sweet, yet stubborn husband’s request, I am using this rather unorthodox obituary to say in summary form, what he would say if he were still with us. To his Coen family: His beloved brother Doug and Denise, their children and grandchildren, to Greg, and to his dear relatives in Iowa, and beyond, he would tell each and everyone how much he loved them. He lamented the fact that we did not see them often enough. But the Coen family bond is strong. When his twin sister, Natalie, died 6 years ago, it was Creston, Iowa where Jeff felt most loved and supported. To his Dallas family: Rick and Debby, their children, and grandchildren, to Katy and Nataly, Steve and Brian, to the French’s, Millers, Troegles, and to my Mom, he would want to tell them that while he was not overly demonstrative, and may not have always shown it, he knew he found his second life and second home here in Dallas. He loved you all so very much and appreciated, more than you can know, your constant show of support as he grew into his professional role, as he ran for office and as he won his many awards. To his Colleagues: Oh how much he enjoyed being a part of the Dallas Legal Community. He never tired of the meetings or the different organizations in which he was involved. He loved pro-bono work, and mentorship. The relationships and close friendships that resulted from 30 years of work as an attorney, judge, and mediator, is what kept him going. That is what he lived for. I believe his dying hope was that he made a positive difference in this world and in this community. Thank you all for your support and friendship over the years. Family will receive friends on Friday, January 17, from 6pm to 8pm at Restland Funeral Home. Service will be held on Saturday, January 18, at 11:00am at Restland Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: The National Kidney Foundation 5429 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250 Dallas, TX 75240
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