Obituary of William Coakley

Coakley, William Samuel Jr., husband of Margaret Elizabeth Rogers Coakley, died at the Frankfort Regional Medical Center on Thursday, October 3, 2013. He was born in Mt. Washington, Kentucky, the son of the late Rev. William Samuel Coakley, Sr. and the late Mary Adele Diuguid Coakley. He was the beloved father of Brenda Gayle Coakley Rogers (Harold) of Frankfort, Carl William Coakley of Frankfort, and Marian Coakley Cloys (Mark) of Philadelphia, Mississippi. Other survivors include five grandchildren, Devin William Hisel (Nelda) of Nicholasville, Chad Layne Hisel (Rachel) of Stamping Ground, Patrick Wayne Hisel of Evansville, Indiana, and Brian Andrew Cloys and Emily Rose Cloys, both of Philadelphia, Mississippi. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren, William Clay Hisel and Summer Maya Nichole Hisel, both of Nicholasville, and Lillian Layne Hisel, Charles Eugene Hisel, Ella Rose Webb-Molinski, and Henry Lee Hisel, all of Stamping Ground; five nephews, and one niece. He was preceded in death by a brother Dr. John Diuguid Coakley (Adele) and a sister, Mary Louise Coakley Tindall (Ray). Bill was a graduate of Owensboro Senior High School, Owensboro, and subsequently graduated from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, with a B.S. in Physics. His further studies were continued at the University of Rochester, Rochester, new York, and the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio. A WWII veteran, he served in the Rhineland and Central Europe as a Technical Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army 193rd Signal Repair Company and was the recipient of the EAME Theater Ribbon, two bronze stars, the Meritorious Unit Award, and the WWII Victory Medal. An atomic scientist by profession, he worked for the Atomic Energy Commission with Monsanto's research department in Dayton, Ohio, and then in Creve Coeur (St. Louis), Missouri. He went on to establish and manage the Advanced Technology Laboratory for the Monsanto Electronics Technical Center in West Caldwell, New Jersey. He also held several supervisory positions for the Environmental Protection and Air Pollution Control Divisions in Kentucky, and has been listed in Who's Who in the Midwest. He taught Instrumental analysis at the University of Dayton. Bill has eight scientific publications and patents that he co-authored involving infrared spectroscopy and diverse electron probe techniques. He authored a publication entitled "How Digital Instrumentation Affects Quality Assurance", and presented papers at conferences and national meetings on nuclear magnetic resonance and analytical emission spectroscopy. Among his most cherished projects was his co-founding and renovation management of The Frankfort Christian Academy (TFCA), and chairing the Board of Directors of the school. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Resource Office for Social Ministries (ROSM), and was moderator for the Franklin Baptist Association. As a member of Crestwood Baptist Church in Frankfort, he served in many capacities. He was a deacon for 55 years while serving in churches in Ohio, Missouri, New Jersey, and Kentucky, and many of those years were as Chairman of the Deacon Board. His life exemplified his faithful love for his wife, family, and his Lord in each endeavor. Visitation will be held in Rogers Funeral Home, 507 West 2nd Street, on Monday, October 7, 2013, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday in the Crestwood Baptist Church, 1006 East Main Street, with Dr. Michael Hail officiating joined by Dr. Hershael York. The deacons of Crestwood Baptist will serve as pallbearers. Expressions of love and sympathy may include flowers or donations to The Frankfort Christian Academy.