Obituary

Vinnie was my classmate in the Central Islip class of 1960. He had a great sense of humor and kept us laughing through our high school years. We saw him last at our 50th high school reunion. Even though we haven't been in touch it's sad to know that he is no longer with us.

Vinnie was a wonderful, caring, smart, and extremely funny person. We were in the same graduating class in high school where he was voted class clown, but he was so much more. He was an attorney who worked at the National Labor Relations Board, he was a published author, a historian, a loving father and husband. Unfortunately I haven't kept up with him since our 50th reunion, but I still feel a great sadness at his passing and regrets for not keeping in touch and telling him what a fantastic person I believed him to be.

Vincent was my supervisor at the Brooklyn office of the NLRB. He was so much fun to work with. It made going to work fun and feel valuable. He always told me I belonged as the head of the NLRB's Division of Advice and, well, that's where I ended up. RIP Mr. Coffey. The world won't be the same without you.

Vincent Coffey was my supervisor at the NLRB for many years and we became close during that time. Nobody told a story better. He was funny, gentle, compassionate, and multi-talented with too many interests to note, among them military history, psychology, art and humor. Vince, I'm really sorry I lost touch with you over the last several years. I send my condolences to your remaining family.

I was fairly new in New York, a transplant from Oregon, when I met Vincent. He taught me how to become a New Yorker in many ways. Vincent was a gentle giant, funny, intelligent, generous in every way. Whenever I left him to return to Brooklyn, he would hail a taxi and slip the driver enough fare to get me home. We lost touch after I moved to France in 2017, but I will always remember him as a true friend.