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James Dirk Coggburn

1945 - 2016

James Dirk Coggburn obituary, 1945-2016, Vallejo, CA

BORN

1945

DIED

2016

FUNERAL HOME

Twin Chapels Mortuary

1100 Tennessee Street

Vallejo, California

James Coggburn Obituary

April 21, 1945 - Dec. 10, 2016

James Dirk Coggburn (Jim), 71, of Fairfield, passed away surrounded by his family and friends on Dec. 10.

Jim was born on April 21, 1945 on Mare Island in Vallejo, to Dirk and Katie Coggburn. Jim grew up in Vallejo and attended Highland Elementary School, Vallejo Junior High School, and graduated from Vallejo Senior High School in 1963. Jim attended Vallejo Junior College and is a graduate of Sacramento State University. Jim received his ROTC commission from the University of California at Davis in 1969. He served in the United States Army and was stationed at West Point and completed a tour of duty in Vietnam during the war. Jim returned home, married Joyce Olsen and began his professional career in the Silicon Valley. Jim and Joyce lived in Santa Clara before settling in Fremont, for 40 years. During this time, they had two children, a daughter Jennifer and a son Jimmy. Upon retirement, Jim and Joyce moved to Fairfield, to live closer to family and old friends. Jim was also blessed with three grandchildren that he loved dearly.

Jim was an avid sports fan, softball player, duck hunter, and patriot.

Jim's love of baseball as a spectator and a player started at an early age. He played Vallejo Little League, Vallejo Senior High School baseball, American Legion Baseball, and was a member of the 1964 Vallejo Junior College Championship Baseball Team. Jim was looking forward to the induction of his 1963 Vallejo High School Baseball Team into the Greater Vallejo Recreational District (GVRD) Hall of Fame in March of 2017. His family will represent him at the event. Jim loved playing softball and did so most of his adult life. He played church league, recreational leagues in Fremont and Newark, and eventually senior softball until health issues forced him into retirement. Jim and his good friend Lanny Witt played on various teams together for 35 years including a senior softball team called Prime Time. Jim loved this team and cherished the guys that were his friends and teammates. Senior softball allowed Jim and Joyce to travel and meet many people. Jim was known as Mr. Congeniality around the softball fields because of his outgoing personality and love for the game. Jim passed his passion for baseball to both his children and was blessed to coach his son Jimmy for many years. The highlight of Jim and Jimmy's baseball experience together was being able to play recreational softball on the same team. Jim's adoration for baseball began and ended with the San Francisco Giants. He was so pleased to be able to see the Giants win their last three championships.

Duck hunting was a favorite past time for Jim since he was a young boy. He told stories of hunting all over the bay as a young man. Jim hunted at Springville Ranch with his childhood friend Terry Connolly and his late brother-in-law Rob Smith for many years. His last hunt, two weeks before his passing, produced a mallard he prepared and enjoyed at home.

Jim loved his country and was proud to be a Veteran of the Armed Forces. Jim was an active member of The American Legion Post 101 in Benicia. For the past few years Jim has been the Vice Post Liaison of the Boys State Scholarship Committee with his friend Michael Garrity. He enjoyed meeting the young men and women who were applying for the scholarship.

Jim is survived by his wife, Joyce; daughter, Jennifer (Cliff) Coggburn-Chambers; son, Jimmy (Danielle) Coggburn; two granddaughters, Abigail Dacus and Avery Coggburn, and one grandson, Joshua Dacus. Jim leaves behind his brother in Christ, Sonne; his sister-in-law, Gail Bradford-Smith; his aunt, Barbara Coggburn; many cousins including Sharon Anderson, Ray Paschke, and Dennis Coggburn; numerous nieces and nephews; and his dog, McCovey. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Dirk and Katie Coggburn.

There will be a celebration of life for Jim after the first of the year. We will post a place, date, and time once it has been decided. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses in the ICU at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa for their excellent care and kind and loving handling of Jim's passing. The family would also like to acknowledge all the doctors and nurses at the Department of Veterans Affairs where Jim has received his medical care for the last 10 years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in Jim's name be made to: American Legion Post #101, Boys State Scholarship Committee, Attention: Edward Heffernan, 1150 First St., Benicia, CA 94510. Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD), 2544 Grizzly Island Road, Suisun City, CA 94585-9539, Suisunrcd.org.

Cremation and arrangements entrusted to the direction and care of Twin Chapels Mortuary, Vallejo (707) 552-6696. www.TwinChapelsMortuary.com.

Published by Times Herald Online on Dec. 28, 2016.
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4 Entries

My thoughts and prayers are with Jim's family. May the Lord grant you His peace and comfort.

Dan Kaiser

January 23, 2017

Jim's passing is a loss for many. He was a friend and teammate to many in the Hayward Senior softball league and Prime Time. In the years that Jim was slowed by his health, never a complaint. He did what he could to help the team and encourage teammates. Truly an man of honor and courage. Condolences to Joyce and family. John Ironside HARD Senior Softball and Prime Time

John Ironside

January 4, 2017

I am so saddened by Jim passing on. My condolences to Joyce and the family.Out of all the years that I've played softball, the years that I played with Jim & Prime Time were the best memories I had!! I always considered Jim to be a good friend and fellow ball player, He always loved to drive the ball down the 3rd base line & he was good at it! I remember Jim telling me to go with my power, "always" & that's when I learned to drive the ball hard down the 1st base line. I will miss Jim on the ball field & the rest of my life. God Bless the Coggburn family, May Jim go with God.

Ike Garcia

January 3, 2017

My sympathy goes out to the family during your time of grief. May God's loving-kindness comfort you and help you through this difficult time. Psalms 119:50,76

BC~

December 28, 2016

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