Elwood "Bobby/John" Coffel

Elwood “Bobby/John” Coffel, 61, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, August 9, 2011, at St Bernards Medical Center.

Elwood “Bobby/John” was born on October 16, 1949 in Traun, Austria. He had a long successful career in law enforcement starting with getting his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from El Centro College in Dallas, Texas. He started his career in 1973 with the Arlington Police Department where he held several titles during his career such as; Police Officer, Detective, Narcotics Detective Supervisor, SWAT Incident Commander before leaving the department to take a job with the Office of the Governor for the State of Texas, Criminal Justice Division. He served as the Texas Narcotics Control Program Director from 1987 to 1992, and then he finished his law enforcement career with the Houston, Harris County Organized Crime & Narcotics Task Force as the Administrative Director in 1996. He was also a member of the Southwest Church of Christ.

Elwood “Bobby/John” was preceded in death by his parents, Mitzi and W.N. Nance; his father, Elwood Coffel, and a brother Paul Nance.

Survivors include his fiancée, Judy Flores; two step-children, Adam Flores and Candice McNabb and husband Tom; three step-grandchildren; Chloe, Jace, Tori; a brother Timothy “Tim” Nance; three sisters, Kathy Oliver of Jonesboro, Maria Carlton of Jonesboro, and Donna McGee of Beedeville.

Funeral services will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Beedeville Church of Christ in Beedeville with Jerry Nance officiating. Burial will follow at Eight Mile Cemetery in Beedeville with Emerson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be at the church on Saturday from 1pm until service time.

Online Registry: www.emersonfuneralhome.com