Barbara June Coe

Barbara June (Coleman) Coe passed away in Dallas on August 14th, 2020, at the age of 92. She was born in Birmingham, Alabama on August 26th, 1928. She was the daughter of Sterling Curtis and Willie Belle Coleman of Houston, Texas. She is survived by her three sons Douglas Coe, Jr and wife Patsy, Richard Coe and wife Luisa, and Philip Coe and wife Wendy; nine grandchildren Melissa, Amanda, KC, Katie, Trent, Erik, Brighton, Miranda, Lydia; and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter Barbara Anne Coe and her husband Douglas Coe, Sr.

June spent her early childhood growing up in Alexandria, Louisiana and eventually moved to Houston where she attended San Jacinto High School, followed by college at the age of 16 at the University of Texas in Austin. There she met her soon-to-be husband who was attending The University with the help of the GI bill following WWII.

Raising a family became the primary focus in her life as they moved around the country and the world living in Delhi, Louisiana; Dallas and Corpus Christi, Texas; Annandale, Virginia; Devon, Pennsylvania; Caracas, Venezuela; and finally back to Dallas in 1974, their last move.

Politics eventually became her passion as the children got older and she threw herself into the effort to elect Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984 where she was the co-chairman of the Republican Party in the Dallas area. Later in 1986 she worked to re-elect William Clements to the Governor’s office as the chairman of his re-election campaign in Dallas. Governor Clements appointed her to the State Board of Medical Examiners where she provided oversight from the patient’s point of view, a position she held for 6 years.

Travel was another of her passions, and she traveled extensively to many European countries to experience their culture, history and gardens.

Her favorite place in Texas was in Rockport at the coast, where she maintained property and spent almost every July 4th holiday for the last 40 years with her extended family.

She instilled in her children a macro world view due to her deep knowledge of history, politics, and world events, and we shall be forever grateful for that. The devotion she showed to her children and grandchildren and her ability to resolve familial situations with ease is something to aspire to. We have lost our matriarch, and we shall miss her. We are forced to say goodbye to our Mother, Grandmother, Aunt and friend.

Services will be held in the chapel at the Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home on Sunday, August 23rd at 9 am, with visitation held on Saturday, August 22nd between 5 and 7 pm at Sparkman-Hillcrest.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 www.stjude.org.