Joni Marie Coffey's Obituary
Lakeland- Joni Marie Coffey (Gatterdam), resident of Lakeland, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, Feb. 4th 2017 at the young age of 53 with her son and husband by her side.
She was born in Reynoldsburg, Ohio on Sept. 17th, 1963 to James and Joan Gatterdam, who have preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband of 24 yrs, Gerald “Jerry” Coffey Jr; her son Jack Charles Coffey; sister Polly Wilson and her husband Jim of Lakeland; sister Sandi Williamson and her husband Ron of Lakeland; brother Jim Gatterdam and his wife Dawn of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; In-laws Peggy and Gerald Coffey Sr of Valrico; sister-in-law Paula Harding and her husband Jim of Valrico, as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews plus their children.
A graduate of Reynoldsburg High School in 1981 and a BA in Mass Communications from USF in 1985, Joni loved to work and was always passionate about anything she set out to do. After her son was born, she committed herself to making sure that his education and happiness would be her focus and in her final days wanted to make sure he was taken care of. A caring and devoted wife, Joni always wanted her husband to succeed and even worked with him later in life. When asked why she worked so hard with her husband, Joni would explain that anything she did to help him be successful made her happy, plus it gave them time together that most couples do not usually get.
She loved football and baseball, even stealing the remote control on the weekends so that she could tune into that day’s game. Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins, the Tennessee Titans, the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays, and even the old Cleveland Browns were the teams she rooted for. She loved the beach and historical places. She made sure her son understood the value of faith and our past and how it would shape his future. Joni loved to brag about the accomplishments of her son, as well as her nieces and nephews. Her love and dedication to her family will be missed, as well as her ever infectious laugh. She had a soft hand to hold, a beautiful smile, and more importantly a warm and loving heart.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in her name to the Lymphoma Research Foundation.
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