Thomas E Coffey

Thomas E. Coffey, 91, of Old Orchard Beach, died, March 14, 2017, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.

Tom was born, March 4, 1926, a son of Thomas and Catherine MacDonald Coffey.  Tom was educated in parochial schools in Roxbury and graduated from,  Boston English High School. During his childhood and adolescence, Tom aka “Beanhead” amassed a large coterie of companions, “the Roxbury Gang”, who remained lifelong friends.

In 1943, Tom enlisted in the United States Marines, where he became an expert marksman while in boot camp.  He saw action in the South Pacific Theater with the First Marine Division at the Battle of Peleliu along with the “Marines marine” Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller.

After World War II, he attended Harvard University where he majored in Classics and Geology under Dean, J. P. Elder and Professor Phillip Levine. While an undergraduate, he worked for the reelection campaign of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and participated in a televised debate with the Senator’s opponent Congressman John F. Kennedy.

In 1954 he met the love of his life, Evelyn M. Mokarzel, whom he married after three years of courtship, She predeceased him in 2009. Following their marriage, Tom owned and operated Tom Coffey’s Lounge  in Brighton, Massachusetts while living on a farm in nearby Norfolk where he trained racehorses and greyhounds.

In 1969, Tom and Ev moved to Old Orchard Beach where they established the Bell Buoy Restaurant, which they operated during the summer months until their retirement in 2000.

During the off season the family enjoyed traveling to Europe and the Far East.  In 1990, Tom visited Romania, 2 weeks after the revolution to ousted dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu.

 In 1991, hoping to start a new career, he travelled to Thailand to study gemology.

During his travels, Tom made friends very easily, some of whom  remained very close, especially Akemi and Julian from Bangkok, among many others.

After his retirement he became a faithful member of the “Old Orchard Beach Coffee Club” which met daily at the former AZ’s Coffee Shop, and later at Tami Lynn’s, the Bulldog Café and Strikezone.

A former seminarian, Tom was a devout Roman Catholic.  He opposed the Second Vatican Council and was very supportive of the Society of St. Pius X and its founder  Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.  He believed that the Council‘s “reforms”  were detrimental to the Church.

Predeceasing him besides his parents and wife were two sisters, Catherine and her husband Michael McLaughlin; Louise and her husband, Edward Aptaker; a brother, Charles  Coffey and his wife Louise;

A brother in law, Joseph D. Mokarzel; a sister in law, Beverly  A. and her husband, Thomas Geyer.

Survivors include a son, Dennis G. Coffey ;  a sister in law, former Old Orchard Beach Town Clerk, Maureen M. Mokarzel  O’ Leary and her husband, Anthony;  a sister in law, Anita Romano Mokarzel, all of Old Orchard Beach;  Numerous nieces and nephews, many of whom affectionately called him “Uncle Buddy”.

Visitation will be 4-7 PM, Wednesday, March 22, 2017, at the OLD ORCHARD BEACH FUNERAL HOME, 36 Portland Avenue, Old Orchard Beach.  A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 A M, Thursday, March,  23, 2017, at the C. Fayette American Legion Hall on Imperial Street in Old Orchard Beach.  Interment will be in the family lot, with Military Honors, in St. Mary’s Cemetery, in Biddeford.

Condolences, oobfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, those who desire may make Memorial Donations to St. Mary’s Academy and College, 200 East Mission Street,  St.Mary’s , Kansas  66536.         

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