Elsie Coker

Elsie Louise Coker died at her home on Oct. 18, 2007, at the age of 90. She was born in 1916 in Buffalo, N.Y. Her parents were Ruth Vienna Houze and Herbert Alvin Houze. She grew up in Denver and graduated from the University of Denver in 1938 with a degree in education and a special interest in chemistry. She taught elementary school at Lamar in 1938-41 and at Wheat Ridge in 1941. During World War II, she enlisted in the Waves and served as a Lieutenant j.g. from 1942 to 1944. As an officer in the Navy, she specialized in communications, particularly the sending and receiving of coded messages. She was especially proud of this service and spoke about it frequently during the later years of her life. In 1943, she married Martin Clark Coker, whom she had met in Lamar, and settled in Fort Collins, where she would live the rest of her life. She taught briefly on the elementary level before devoting herself full-time to her family. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the First Presbyterian Church. Her interests included travel - especially in the national park system - and stamp collecting, which she actively pursued for nearly 50 years up until her death. Elsie Coker was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years - Martin Clark Coker - in 2002. She is survived by her four children, Carolyn Coker of Farmington, N.M., Clark Coker of Dodge City, Kan., Susan Cseresnyes of Denver, and Linda Coker-Jones of Denver. In addition, she is survived by four grandchildren. A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday at Fort Logan Military Cemetery in Denver with military honors by the Denver All Veterans Honor Guard. A memorial service will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, at the First Presbyterian Church on 531 S. College Ave., the Rev. Scott Herr officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the National Parks Conservation Association - 1300 19th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036, www.npca.org . Friends may send condolences to the family at www.bohlenderfuneralchapel.com .