Dr. Bernard W. Coan

Dr. Bernard W. Coan, 92, of 207 S. State St., Henderson, died at 6:15 p.m. on Monday, April 20, 2009 at OSF St. Mary Medical Center.   Bernard was born on July 13, 1916 in Sheffield, the son of Perry and Mary O’Rourke Coan. He married Maxine Montgomery. He later married Margaret “Peggy” Allison on January 3, 1981. Surviving are his wife, Peggy of Henderson; 4 daughters, Kathleen (Al) Thorn, Woodstock, GA, Margaret (Chris) Christley, of Lisbon, CT and St. Augustine, FL, Sara (Steve) Glasnovich of Galesburg, and Patricia (Dr. Fares Aris) of Maquon. Also surviving are numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by 2 daughters, Colleen Mary and Martha Jean who died in an automobile accident on June 21, 1964; and his brother, Francis who died April 28, 1944 during WW II in Operation Tiger. His name is on the wall of the lost and missing in Cambridge, England at the American military cemetery.   He graduated from Knox College in 1938. While at Knox he was involved in band, and was the student band director, theatre, and track, and was the Knox representative at the Drake relays where he won a gold medal. Bernard still holds the Knox College record for broad jump. While attending Knox he played in many dance bands. He graduated from Northwestern Medical School in 1942. He was a private practice family physician in Galesburg for many years until his retirement in 1981. He was a Naval flight surgeon during WW II. He was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.   Bernard had raced cars in the Road America Circuit and Sports Car club of America. He was a pilot and had his own airplane. When he retired he and Peggy bought a motor home and traveled in the winter to Arizona, Texas, and Ft. Myers, FL where he played in all the dance bands he could find. He was a skilled woodworker and had enjoyed many years of hunting until a year ago.  Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Friday, April 24, 2009 at Watson Funeral Home, with Rev. Deus-Dedit Byabato officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 1:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Watson Funeral Home, with the rosary being prayed at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Memorials may be made to OSF St. Mary Medical Center or to NADF (National Adrenal Diseases Foundation).