Obituary of Edward Carlyle Coker

COLUMBIA - Funeral service for Edward Carlyle Coker, 78, of Columbia will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at the chapel of Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park with Reverend Barry Gray officiating. Burial will follow in Fort Jackson National Cemetery with family receiving friends and family at the home following the service. Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Monday, February 2, 2015 at the funeral home. Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park is assisting the family. Mr. Coker passed away Tuesday, January 27, 2015. He was born in Columbia, SC to the late Carlyle Isadore Coker and Thelma Elizabeth Morse Coker Richardson. He was a member of Shandon Baptist Church. Mr. Coker was retired from the US Navy with 20 years of exemplary service having retired as a Machinist Mate Chief Petty Officer; he served on various types of naval warfare ships throughout his career, and was selected as Company Commander for Great Lakes Recruitment Training Center. After his retirement he worked as a civil servant as a facility plant operator for Fort Jackson. He received his Bachelors of Art degree from the University of South Carolina. Mr. Coker was a former licensed real estate agent with Bob Capes Realty. In his spare time, his hobbies included drawing, painting, dancing with Sarah, and getting in the car and going for a ride. Edward is survived by his loving wife Sarah Elizabeth Wright Coker of 58 years; daughters, Brenda Renee Coker Pruitt of Lexington and LaConia Elizabeth Boylston of Columbia; son, Edward "Eddie" Cofton Coker of Lexington; grandchildren, Adam Pruitt of Seattle, WA, Amy Pruitt Hunter (Daniel) of Seattle, WA, Jacob Boylston of Clarksville, TN, Autumn Boylston of Columbia, Catherine Coker of Asheville, NC and Weston Coker of Asheville, NC; great-grandchild, LaConia Anderson. Also surviving are brothers, Robert Nelson Coker (Sherron) and Donnie Leroy Coker (Diane). In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by a son, David Richard Coker and a brother, James Wesley Coker. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorials be made to Shandon Baptist Church Mission, 5250 Forest Drive, Columbia SC 29206. The family would like to also thank Dr. Charles Butler, Shandon Baptist Church and the many friends and family for the extension of love and compassion during this time.