Tribute Page for Jason Coffey

Jason Coffey

On Sept. 11, Daniel M. Coffey and his son Jason M. Coffey planned to meet for lunch at the World Trade Center, where they both worked for subsidiaries of Marsh & McLennan. Daniel Coffey, 54, needed to have his wedding ring enlarged after 30 years of marriage. Jason Coffey, 25, was going along to pick out a surprise engagement ring for his fiancee, Colleen McDonald.

Daniel Coffey, a senior vice president at Guy Carpenter & Company, worked on the 94th floor of One World Trade. Jason, a senior accountant at Marsh Inc., was on the 98th floor.

Daniel Coffey was the son and grandson of an only child and part of a family that has lived for generations in Newburgh, N.Y.

He and his wife, Francis, broke the mold with three sons, Daniel, Jason and Kevin. Daniel Coffey met his wife when she was trying to fix him up with her friend.

One of his gifts was gab. "Dad could talk to virtually anyone and get anything he wanted out of them," said his son Daniel. With his wife, the elder Coffey was fixing up the house in Newburgh. "My mother is very particular about what she wants done, and my father was particular in how he did it," young Daniel said.

Jason Coffey was a big guy who loved to play rugby. (His mother did not want him to play football. Too dangerous.) He was also always ready to go out, including to a local bar, Pineapple Larry’s.

But now he was settling down. He was in the process of buying his grandparent’s house in Newburgh and he and Ms. McDonald were going to fix it up, just like his father and mother did to their house. Jason Coffey and Ms. McDonald had planned to get married Dec. 7, 2002.

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I did not know Jason personally, but two years ago at a memorial service commemorating the first anniversary of Sept 11th, each of us received a heart with the name of someone lost on that day, and the notation 'We will never forget.' The one I received had Jason's name on it, and I decided then to keep it and take it out every year on this anniversary - to just pause for a moment to remember that this person had lived, loved and been loved, and been precious to the people in his life. I am a perfect stranger, but now Jason is a part of my life and the lives of the people I touch as well. In this way, I hope to pass his memory on. It is a small tribute, but one that is truly meaningful to me. I feel honored to be able to remember Jason in this way.

Julie, 9/11/2004 12:09:48 AM

I knew Jason and his family almost my whole life. We met in elementary school and were friends from the start. He was even my "boyfriend" in elementary school and was the first boy to give me a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day when we were in sixth grade. Jason was always a kind hearted person and would do anything for anybody. After high-school we lost touch for awhile when everyone went away to different colleges, but after college we ran into each other a few times at popular "hang out" spots and he was still the same Jason I remember. He loved life and loved to laugh and have fun. He loved his family and boy did he love his Colleen. On 9/11/01 the world lost one of the best people I will have ever known, but heaven gained one very special angel. We all miss you Jason and we will remember you ALWAYS.

Kim, 8/17/2003 10:43:20 PM

I met Jason on my first day at MMC and he acted as a mentor and was a friend to me from the beginning. He had a great sense of humor, was sweet, caring and loved to have fun. He entertained us all with his stories and was a true friend. The kind of person that would do anything for those people that he cared about. He was truly a great man and I hold the good times we had together close to my heart.

Corinne Pergolis, 9/11/2002 4:22:24 PM

I worked with Jason for a short time, but we became good friends. We took the same train home at night and he introducted me to all his train friends and his dad. I would have gotten lost in Grand Central Station if it wasn't for him. When he moved downtown we remained friends calling each other often. I miss you. You will always be in my heart.

Betsy

Betsy Gaudio, 5/21/2002 4:07:01 PM

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