CORAL COFFEY
President 2007-2009
By Tiffany Greene
Growing up, Coral Lee dreamed of being a war correspondent, writing about historic events and life changing conflicts occurring overseas, like what was going on at the time in Europe during World War II. Born in 1934, in Torrey, Utah, Coral wasn’t old enough then to consider the danger involved, she only thought of the adventure such a career would afford a small town girl like her. The wide open spaces of her hometown allowed her imagination to run wild, and she loved the freedom of roaming wherever she chose, assuming she could sneak away from the watchful eye of her parents who always had jobs for her and her siblings to do. “If the adults couldn’t catch us, then they couldn’t make us work!” Coral remembers, with a chuckle.
Though Coral eventually moved away from Torrey to attend the University of Utah, her hometown always held a special place in her heart. The memories of her idyllic childhood, coupled with her mother’s example of dedication as a teacher compelled Coral to make her own career in elementary education, where she helped hundreds of young people learn and thrive.
As a student at the University of Utah, Coral met and married Jim Coffey, a fellow student in the school of Education. Coral began her teaching career the same time she began her own family, but was met with stiff opposition to continue teaching once she showed physical signs of pregnancy. Forced to avoid teaching in a classroom, Coral decided to become a student once more, earning her Master's Degree from the University of Utah while simultaneously raising her three children, Brad, Chris, and Cheri in their Rose Park home.
Once her children were school aged, Coral returned to her career as a teacher. As an early elementary teacher, Coral mostly taught third grade in elementary schools throughout Salt Lake, teaching at Washington, Douglas, Meadowlark and Newman Elementary schools, just to name a few.
Of special note, Coral was a teacher in Follow Through, a federal program to encourage and support children through the early grades of elementary as an extension of Head Start. She was also selected to participate in an initiative with Utah State University that helped elementary teachers across the west develop more rigorous writing standards in their classrooms. Coral enjoyed traveling to schools in other states to promote this program. Coral and her husband, Jim, both ended their teaching careers at Newman Elementary in Rose Park, the same school that all three of their children attended.
During her time as a teacher, Coral also fulfilled a demanding job at home. In addition to caring for all her children, her youngest, Cheri, developed a debilitating kidney disease. The unique dialysis treatment Cheri underwent required Coral and Jim to provide around the clock attention, with much of the middle of the night care falling on Coral’s shoulders. As Cheri grew older, kidney transplants were necessary, with both Coral and Jim donating a kidney to their daughter. Coral made sure to also create memories with her children in her hometown of Torrey. The Coffey family would spend time there every summer.
Despite her busy schedule taking care of family and students, or perhaps because of it, Coral was always informed and engaged in politics, both local and national. Most mornings in the Coffey house begin with CNN and a good cup of home brewed coffee. She inherited her passion for politics and love of the Democratic Party from her mother, Thelma Lee, who would remind her children every chance she got that, “If it wasn’t for FDR, you would have starved to death during the Depression!” Once Coral became the owner of her childhood home in Torrey, she renamed the living room “the Roosevelt Room” to honor her mother’s beloved president and the party he represented. She passed along this commitment to politics and party to her own children. Coral’s daughter, Chris, remembers her mother bribing her and other neighborhood kids with ice cream if they helped pass out campaign flyers for Democratic candidates.
In addition to supporting local politics through volunteer campaigning, Coral also joined the Women’s Democratic Club of Utah. Even though she knew her time was limited to weekends-only, she was a reliable, dues-paying member of the club for years. Coral served as the secretary and then vice president of the club for several years, ultimately serving as its president from 2008-2009. Just as with every other endeavor in her life, Coral dedicated much time and effort to her work with the WDC. “In Utah, it’s tough with a conservative population, but we did a good job. We went up to the Hill, moseyed around, and got in [the Republicans] way!” Coral laughs when reminiscing about her time as president of the club. Rarely discouraged by a difficult task, she just rolled up her sleeves and got to work! She was dedicated to maintaining and growing the membership of the group. As president, Coral was always the first to show up at meetings, and the last to leave, working tirelessly to make sure all the details were taken care of, even mundane tasks like setting up chairs and tables. In recognition of all her service to the WDC, Coral was the recipient of the Lucy Beth Rampton Award in 2010.
In her later years, Coral has had more time to devote to other interests as well. “My mom’s hobby is work and projects” her daughter Chris explains, “She’s always got something she’s doing or planning to do.” Whether it’s finishing the back deck of her Rose Park home, or writing a history of Torrey, Utah, she always finds many ways to stay busy and to contribute to her community. Coral Coffey has devoted her life to working hard in the selfless service of those around her.
About the author: Tiffany Greene is a historical research volunteer for Better Days 2020. She’s a life-long resident of Salt Lake City who loves learning about and sharing the lives of women past and present.