Myrle Coffman

NAPERVILLE—Myrle L. Coffman, 94, of Naperville, IL, formerly of rural Metamora, IL, passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, May 22, 2025, surrounded by his children.  He was at Meadowbrook Manor-Naperville receiving rehabilitation after surgery following a serious fall at his home in April.

Myrle was born August 15, 1930, in Jonesboro, IL, to Francis and Zella Meffie (Hileman) Coffman.  He was the fifth of six sons raised by Mom Zella.  The antics of these six brothers and their friends growing up in southern Illinois provided Myrle with plenty of interesting stories to share throughout his life.

For 67 years, Myrle was a devoted husband to Stella M. Senkus, whom he met in college and later married on June 12, 1954, with twenty guests in attendance.  Surviving are their sons Michael (Julia) Coffman of Metamora, IL, and Steve (Penny) Coffman of Naperville, IL; grandchildren, Neil (Leah) Coffman, Gregory (Courtney) Coffman, Leslie (Chris) Dina, Timothy Rademacher, and Karen (Tom Rajca) Rademacher; and great-grandchildren, Ava, Declan, Scarlett and Maxwell.  Myrle was preceded in death by his wife (October 2021), an infant daughter Linda Kay (1958), his parents, and brothers John, Tom, Richard, Donald, and Harlan.  Sister Reba died as an infant.

Growing up, Myrle was proud that he was never tardy for school.  (The Coffman home was adjacent to the Jonesboro schoolyard!)  Myrle graduated from Anna-Jonesboro High School in 1948 and earned a B.S. Degree in Education from Southern Illinois University in 1952.  Myrle began his high school teaching career in McLean, IL.  After marriage, he joined his new wife teaching in Johnston City, IL.  He changed careers while they were expecting their first child.  Myrle and Stella moved to the Chicago area in 1955 where Myrle began employment at Western Electric.  During Myrle's career, his family relocated to Wisconsin and then New Jersey, eventually settling in Naperville, IL.  Before retiring from Western Electric in 1988 with 32 service years, Myrle's engineering projects, some defense-related, had required him to travel to many interesting domestic locations, plus Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

Family man Myrle enjoyed spending time with his wife and two growing sons.  Besides visiting their southern Illinois roots often, some of the more memorable family exploits included hiking and mule-riding into the Grand Canyon, tent-camping in South Dakota, white-water rafting in West Virginia, and saucer-sledding in snowy Wisconsin.  On the Naperville home front, Myrle honed his woodworking skills while transforming their unfinished lower level into functional living space for his family's enjoyment.  He also spent countless hours tracking family genealogy.  Myrle and Stella were avid gardeners, community theater backers and supporters of local women's sports.  Additionally, Myrle enjoyed couple's volleyball and bowling, plus golfing, running, and playing men's league basketball.  He was a dedicated Packer Backer and often listened to St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

Myrle and Stella's interests carried over from Naperville to their Metamora retirement home in rural central Illinois.  Myrle and Stella volunteered for fifteen years at the Illinois Prairie District Library, assisting with the library's digital card catalogue conversion, indexing a century of Metamora matter-of-record data, and gathering requested genealogical information.  The library also afforded Myrle ample opportunities to read about his favorite historical figure, Abe Lincoln, and to visit Metamora's Lincoln sites just one block away.

Stella and Myrle were also members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Peoria, and Myrle was a Master Mason and an active member at Taylor Masonic Lodge #98 in nearby Washington, IL.

While living in Metamora for 31 years, Myrle began a new chapter in his life as a grandfather and later as a great-grandpa.  He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his expanding family, watching local wildlife and eating Stella's chocolate chip cookies with them.  Rarely, did Myrle miss attending their sporting events, concerts, and milestone celebrations.  Myrle's family also relished his participation in their lives.

In Myrle's latter years, he suffered a decade-long progression of Alzheimer's.  After his wife's death, Myrle returned to Naperville at age 91 to live with family.  There he enjoyed outdoor adventures, greeting neighbors, attending family events, and worshipping nearby at Community Christian Church.  As Myrle's health declined, his family appreciated the assistance and loving care provided by aides from Assisting Hands who helped Myrle to continue enjoying these experiences. Through it all, Myrle remained a God-fearing man with a gentlemanly manner—always friendly, honest, and appreciative—until his death.  Myrle was truly an inspiration to all.

Cremation/inurnment has been accorded by Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home in Naperville, IL; Mason-White Funeral Home in Washington, IL, has also assisted Myrle's family.  A funeral service for Myrle will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 18, 2025, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Peoria, IL, with Reverend Lisa Dietrich officiating.  A 9:30 a.m. visitation will precede the funeral, and Masonic Rites will follow the service.  Lunch will be served afterward.  Also, a celebration of life visitation for Myrle will take place at Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL, with prayers led by Pastor Chris Nichols, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on June 20, 2025.  Interment of ashes at Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, will follow a private family committal service the next day.

Memorials in Myrle's name may be made to the Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org), St. Paul Lutheran Church (please memo the Care Team), or the Illinois Prairie District Library, PO Box 770, Metamora, IL 61548.  To express condolences online, visit https://www.beidelmankunschfh.com or https://www.masonfuneralhomes.com.