Notes for Walter Floyd Coffey: Walter Floyd is said to have left home at the age of 11, either joining the Navy or working the west coast lumber ships. As a child I can recall my father (Walter Keith) saying his father "ran away from home and worked coastal lumber schooners" until he was old enough to join the Navy. In yet other memiors my Aunt Mary Ellen mentions Walter Floyd lying about his age and joining the Navy at age 11. Since both my Father and Aunt are both deceased the true order of events may never be known. My Father didnt seem to know much of his ancestry or we just didnt ask ,I can only recall him mentioning the fact his Father spent many yrs. in the Navy, (hash marks) lined the sleeves of his dress uniform.Walter Floyd also was in China in the early 1900`s.It seems he knew the waters along the China coast so well that during WWll he was called back into service as Chief Quartermaster and worked as a Cartographer (Maps). My Aunt mentions her father being in China at the end of the Boxer Rebellion, that`s 1900-1901! I wonder, could it be possible the Navy let a 11 yr. old kid join? I`ll have to look into this! She also mentions him saving a Chinese youth while in China and everytime they made port this kid would turn up. When the 1906 quake hit San Francisco, Aunt Mary says her father was at dock in the Bay. The Captain kept everyone on board until the fires struck, then let the men go ashore to assist with the injured. She mentions an expierence he would remember tell the day he died.
More About Walter Floyd Coffey: Burial: May 24, 1947, Golden Gate National Cemetary, San Bruno, Calif..
Children of Walter Floyd Coffey and Bernice Alameda Holbert are:
+Walter Keith Coffey, b. June 14, 1929, Fullerton,CA., d. February 22, 1978, Daly City,CA..
Walter Floyd Coffey (b. October 27, 1889, d. May 20, 1947)
Notes for Walter Floyd Coffey: