Gay M Coon

Gay M. Coon, 76, of Berkshire, NY joined her Lord and loved ones in Heaven on Wednesday, November 26, 2014. She is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, Howard Coon, and by the children they lovingly raised together, Sharlene (Roger) Kinney, Darrell (Carla) Coon, Eileen (Steven) Irish, and Brian (Michelle) Coon. She also enjoyed the blessing of 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, Raymond and Donald Webker and their wives, her beloved identical twin sister, Joy Webker, and by numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Raymond Webker, Sr., and mother, Mary Pierce Webker, whom she devotedly cared for in their homes until their deaths at 90 and 101 years of age. Gay was born and raised in Ohio. Although she dropped out of high school to marry her sweetheart, Howard, she was a woman of intelligence and great determination, and no project she tackled went uncompleted. She earned her GED and started working as a dormitory housekeeper at Cornell University, rapidly working her way up to an office supervisory position, which she held for many years before retiring. She and Howard sent all of their children to college and many on to receive advanced degrees. Home projects started small, such as selling Avon products and reupholstering some furniture, graduated to renovating houses, and culminated in helping her husband and son build and run an 18-hole golf course at Grandview Farms in East Berkshire. Of all her accomplishments, she was most proud of her loving and successful extended family, of whom she was endlessly supportive. Her passing was unexpected and hardly to be believed by her loved ones, since all were sure she would live to be 101, like her mother. The family will receive friends at the East Berkshire United Methodist Church from 1:00 to 2:30 PM on Sunday, November 30, followed by a memorial service at the church at 2:30 PM, with Pastor Viki Andrews officiating. Friends wishing to make donations in Gays name may consider the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or any charity of their choice. Gay was able to give another the gift of sight by donating her eyes to the Central NY Eye and Tissue Bank, and encouraged others to do the same.