Maureen Payne Coe

Maureen Payne Coe passed peacefully on October 7, 2021, at Jefferson Healthcare Hospital in Port Townsend, Washington, after a short but valiant battle against glioblastoma. She was surrounded by her five beloved children. Maureen Avril Payne was born February 24, 1944, in Purley, Surrey, England, to Ernest Arthur Payne and Alice May Catherine Wood. She grew up in Selsdon, in the south-east of the greater London metropolitan area. Her early years were colored by WWII and its aftermath, from seeking shelter from air raids when she was still a babe-in-arms to moving temporarily to the relative safety of Rutland, to making do with less due to scarcity and rationing of provisions. She adored her father and was very close to her mother. A late addition to the family, she always looked up to her older brother Terry and sister Valerie, who were 13 and 11 years older than she. She studied dress design in art college, but adventure called, and she left England for America at the tender age of 18 to find work as a nanny. She nannied for a state senator in Massachusetts and several families in Pasadena, California, until poor treatment led her to seek work elsewhere. She began work as a clerk at an electronics firm, sharing an apartment with a group of young women from Great Britain and Ireland and enjoying dating. In January 1966, still recovering from a recent break-up, Maureen was set up by a co-worker on a blind date with Jonathan Coe, a dark-haired, clean-cut, chivalrous gentleman recently out of the U.S. Air Force and then in college. Jon fell in love with the sweet, beautiful Englishwoman at first sight. For her part, Maureen liked him and was happy to date, but it was not until Jon was there to comfort her as she grieved the death of her father in late February 1966 that like deepened into love. Jon and Maureen were engaged in May 1966 and married June 27, 1967, in Santa Monica, California. Her co-worker, Leslie, would become Maureen’s sister-in-law and lifelong friend. Jon and Maureen settled in Redondo Beach, California. Early married life was hectic, as Jon balanced school and work. Both had wanted a large family, so it was no surprise when Holly arrived in 1968, followed in quick succession by Treva (1970), Laurel (1971), Drew (1972), and Garth (1974). The children all recall an idyllic childhood, with family activities centered around the ocean: long days at the beach, whale watches, visits to the marine museum. Still, Maureen and Jon longed to raise their children in her native England. In 1975, after a lovely holiday on the Norfolk Broads, Maureen and the children lived for several months next door to her mother in Horning. Longer stints followed, with the family relocating to Watton, in Norfolk, England, in summer 1979 for 2 years and 1983 for 1 year, while Jon continued to work in the U.S. Maureen thrived as a single parent, scrimping and saving while managing a happy home for 5 lively children. When the children were not in school, days were filled with long walks exploring the countryside, trips to the Norfolk coast or Norwich or London, and many lovely visits and holiday celebrations with her mum, sister, and brother and their families. She charmed the coal man and the fellow at the freezer shop, who would set aside discounted items for her. Ultimately, the desire to be together as a family won out, and Maureen moved with Jon and the family to Tampa, Florida, in 1981. While in Florida, Jon suffered a serious accident, resulting in compound fractures to his leg. Since Jon was confined to a full leg cast and limited in mobility, Maureen kept the children busy with extra-curricular activities, shuttling them to judo, tennis, gymnastics, and acting. In 1984, the family moved back to Redondo Beach, where they lived until the children graduated high school and went on to college. In 1995, seeking a quieter coastal town, Jon and Maureen moved to Port Townsend, Washington. They purchased a home in North Beach that was to become their dream home. They enjoyed hot tubbing, walks on the beach, and exploring the Peninsula. In April 1996, tragedy struck when Jon died suddenly. Losing her great love left Maureen bereft, but she soldiered on. She found employment as a pre-school teacher and later as a caregiver. She threw herself into gardening, planting and nurturing a lovely garden and joining Master Gardeners. She also joined the local Daughters of the British Empire (DBE) chapter, which eventually transitioned into the Society of Commonwealth Sisters (SOCS). In her later years, Maureen found joy and fellowship singing in the choir for the First Presbyterian Church, and then the Catholic Church. She enjoyed close friendships with her neighbors, former clients and co-workers, and fellow choir and DBE/SOCS members. Of all her activities and accomplishments, however, none brought more happiness and pride than her family, a close and loving clan that came together frequently. She maintained strong relationships with all of her children, welcomed their spouses into the fold, and especially treasured her role as Nana to her 9 grandchildren: Keira (born 2003), Alec and Grace (born 2004), Milo (born 2005), Brynn (born 2006), Gavin (born 2007), Amelie and Lukas (born 2008), and finally Britton (born 2012). Maureen was a loving wife and mother, instilling in her children the importance of kindness and love, devotion to family, pursuing dreams, and staying active and engaged. She was a beloved Nana and adored her grandchildren, who all treasure their memories of her stories and conversation and family walks into Fort Worden. Family gatherings filled her house with love, laughter, and delicious food. She loved to bring small gifts – sweet treats, little treasures - when visiting her children and their families. Maureen’s many canine and feline family members brought happiness and comfort throughout her life: Punchie, Rommel, Tulip, Daffodil, Cadbury, Nicky, Mikey, Roland, Paddington, Claire, Noddy, and Prudence. Maureen loved to chat and connect with people. Walks with her could take time, as she stopped to talk, often for ages, with friends and strangers alike. Long phone conversations were punctuated with “That’s my story” and “I’d better get on with my washing.” Staying active was always very important to her, and she enjoyed long walks throughout her life. A sweet woman herself, Maureen really loved her sweets. Despite suffering profound loss in her life, she always radiated love, kindness, and good cheer. Maureen was committed to maintaining good health, undergoing two hip surgeries to improve her mobility and mostly recently changing her diet to lose upwards of 40 lbs. We all expected her to live many more years, but her life took a tragic turn when serious symptoms manifested on May 5, 2021, leading to hospitalization, brain biopsy, and the heart-wrenching diagnosis of Grade IV glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Her daughters rallied to provide care 24/7, and her sons made several visits from California. Maureen understood just how devastating Jon’s death was to her children, and she resolved to fight as long as she could, embracing without question (and without her children’s urging) every treatment presented to her: brain surgery, radiation, and three rounds of chemo. Surgery largely robbed her of speech beyond yes/no and superficial conversation, and losing the ability to communicate was heartbreaking to us all. Over time, her energy waned and deficits increased, and yet she endured each day without complaint. Two post-surgery MRIs suggested that she was stable, but the disease was relentless, and on October 5, exactly 5 months after the onset of symptoms, it became apparent that the end was near. She slipped away peacefully two days later, surrounded by her 5 beloved children. Her passage was sacred and deeply moving. In her last months and days, she embodied perfectly what is perhaps her most profound lesson: that we cannot rail against life's misfortunes, only meet them with as much strength, bravery, grace, and love as possible. Maureen was predeceased by her beloved husband Jonathan Edward Coe, as well as her parents and brother Terence Payne. She is survived by her 5 children and 9 grandchildren: daughter Holly Coe, her husband Stuart Jamieson, and children Keira, Alec, and Brynn Coe Jamieson, of Bellingham, WA; daughter Treva Coe, her husband Gerald Gabrisch, and their sons Milo and Lukas Gabrisch, of Bellingham, WA; daughter Laurel Coe of Port Townsend, WA; son Drew Coe, his wife Kristen Matthews, and their children Grace and Gavin Coe, of Redding, CA; and son Garth Coe and his children Amelie and Britton Coe, of San Pedro, CA. She is also survived by sister Valerie and Brian Davies of Cringleford, England, and their sons Christopher, Robin, and Tim and families; sister-in-law Beryl Payne of Great Yarmouth, England, and children Tony and Zoe and families; sister-in-law Leslie Sodaro of Lincoln City, OR; and nephew Matt Sodaro, Kai Sodaro and family, of Kaneohe, HI. A celebration of life will be held in the Commons event space at Fort Worden State Park on October 23, 2021, 10:30am to 12pm. Light refreshments will be served, and the celebration will also be live-streamed. Please RSVP to the family at trevacoe@gmail.com if you wish to attend virtually or in person. We are beyond grateful to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance - Poulsbo during treatment and Jefferson Healthcare Hospital at the end for providing such kind, tender, and compassionate care. We have been deeply touched by the kindness and support of the many family, friends, and First Presbyterian Church parishioners who reached out to offer prayers and wishes for healing and comfort, meals to lighten the load, and flowers and conversation to brighten her day. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Jefferson Healthcare Foundation or Humane Society of Jefferson County, WA.