Virgil Coley

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 30, 2013 in Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for Virgil Ronald Coley, 82, who passed away on November 27, 2013 at 10:00 pm in Heart Hospital of Lafayette. Reverend James Wamsley, Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church will conduct the funeral services. Burial will take place on Monday, December 2, 2013 at 11:00 am in Hopewell Baptist Cemetery Laurel, MS. Military graveside honors will be rendered by the US Army. He is survived by his wife Jean Venetis Coley; daughter, Pamela McDonald and her husband Chuck; Daughter-in-law Theresa Coley Webb and her husband Philip; grandchildren, James, Kate, and Joel McDonald, Trent and Grant Coley. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife of forty six years Ola Mae Welborn Coley, and son Ron Coley. Virgil, a resident of Lafayette, was the son of the late Virgil Marzet Coley and the former Jessie James. He graduated from George S. Gardiner High School in Laurel, Mississippi where he excelled in athletics. He was drafted into the Navy at the age of 19 where he served on the USS Helena during the Korean Conflict. After his discharge from the Navy, he returned to Laurel, MS where he married Ola Welborn Coley in 1953. He attended and graduated from Jones County Junior College and the University of Southern Mississippi. He joined the US Army in 1964 and served as an officer in the laboratory at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and Heidelberg, Germany. In 1969, he began his specialization in Blood Banking at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He continued his work in the blood banking field upon his retirement from the Army in 1982 when he accepted the position of Technical Director with United Blood Services in Lafayette, LA. He retired from UBS in 1995. Virgil loved his work and was proud of his military service. Those that worked with and under him over the years loved and admired him. He was a loving and doting husband to his wife, Ola and, after her death, to his wife Jean. He was a wonderful father and a very proud grandfather to his five grandchildren. Virgil was a man of deep faith and his desire was to serve and follow Jesus in all of his ways. He was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, LA. He leaves a loving and lasting legacy. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Saturday, November 30, 2013 from 11:00 am until the time of service. Personal condolences may be sent to the Coley family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Virgil Coley

January 24, 1931 - November 27, 2013