COFFEY, Ivy M.

Ivy Mae Coffey was born to Ivy Joseph and Nellie Mae Coffey at Comanche. She attended Oklahoma College for Women and received a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma. She worked for the Duncan Eagle and Halliburton before moving from Duncan to Ponca City. She worked at Continental Oil Co. in public relations and was city editor of the Ponca City News. She joined the Oklahoma City Times and The Daily Oklahoman working as a reporter and editor. She held positions as Sunday magazine editor, book editor, food editor, women's editor and state staff reporter. Her favorite assignment was state staff "rover," covering all parts of Oklahoma. She spent a year in Washington, D.C., in The Oklahoman's Capitol bureau. She interviewed Bobby Kennedy a few weeks before his assassination. Ivy was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame and received a Byliners award in communications from the Association of Women in Communications. After moving to El Reno, she worked for the El Reno Tribune and continued writing mystery book reviews for The Sunday Oklahoman. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church and the El Reno Study Club. She served on the board of Mobile Meals. Ivy was an animal lover, especially dogs and horses. She was one of the sponsors of the annual auction of Free to Live Animal Shelter in Edmond. She is also survived by nieces: Betty Crabb of Waxahachie, Texas, Jenny Roberts of Lone Grove, and Peggy Coffey of San Antonio, Texas; a great-nephew; great-nieces, including Jera Alcorn of Duncan; and a number of cousins. Survivors in El Reno are Kay Dyer, her best friend, and The Dyers, her second family. Graveside services are set for 11 a.m. Friday in Duncan City Cemetery. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Wesley United Methodist Church of El Reno. Donations in Ivy's memory may be made to Free to Live, P.O. Box 5884, Edmond, OK 73083 or El Reno Mobile Meals, P.O. Box 879, El Reno, OK 73036.