Douglas Max Coffee

Douglas Max Coffee, 89, longtime resident of Big Spring, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Midland. He will lie in state Thursday, March 9, 2023 from 8:30 AM until 9:00 PM at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, March 10, 2023 at the Nalley-Pickle & Welch Rosewood Chapel. Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Park.

Max was born May 22, 1933 in Loraine, Texas. Growing up on a farm in Snyder, he was involved in FFA in high school, but his true love was athletics – and competition – of almost any type. He lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Snyder High School and later played fast pitch softball in Big Spring with Cotton Mize after whom the Comanche Trail Softball Field is named. After retiring from Cosden Refinery in 1980, he played thousands of rounds of golf, scoring eight holes in one over the years.

Max took an active role in his children’s athletic endeavors as well, coaching Little League baseball and girls’ softball for their teams. He also enjoyed challenging his girls’ prospective dates to push-up contests where he would match their standard efforts with handstand push-ups against the wall!

He also enjoyed bowling where he met Betty Ray, his wife of almost 56 years, who predeceased him April 13, 2022. Max had a keen sense of humor (including practical jokes) and loved to read and solve puzzles of any type. He never met a stranger and was a dear friend to many including members of 14th & Main Church of Christ where he regularly attended most of his life.

His love for the outdoors included his legendary building projects including several storage sheds in the back yard, all accomplished without the use of a level (or seeming awareness that most people are over five feet tall), as was readily apparent to all who viewed them. His love for puzzles extended to car repairs, including rebuilding the engine in his Ford Pinto which only took five years!

Survivors include five children, Debra Jones, Brent Clifton, Cary Coffee, Kim Phillips and Penni Clark; seven grandchildren, Luke Jones, Cayln Coffee, Cailey Fleming, Jake and Lenise Phillips, Micah Coffee and Michele Clark; and seven great grandchildren, Daniel Osborn, Eli Jones, Cadence Coffee, Chazzi Steen, Sawyer and Rylee Fleming, and Max and Sam Phillips.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Ray (Nall); his father and mother, Wilbur and Roberta Coffee; one sister and two brothers, Shirley McDaniel and Jimmy and Bob Coffee; and one grandson, Matthew Jones.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home and Crematory. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com

To send flowers to the family or place a tree in memory of Douglas Max Coffee, please visit our Tribute Store.