Top Photo sshared by Military Road Museum at Lavaca, Ar. Joseph Ellis Coker was born Decemter 13, 1919 in Lavaca, Sebastian Co., Ar. to Joseph Ernest & Effie Vertina Ervin Coker. September 14, 1943 Joe married Esther Marie Ware of Fort, Smith, Sebastian co., Ar. January 6, 1941 Sgt. Joseph E. Coker a member of the Arkansas National Guard was called up to active duty with the Coast Artillery Corps or Army Mine Planter Service. Joseph left the service as a 1st Lt with the US Army. 1st Lt. Joseph Ellis Coker passed away December 17, 2005 in Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. His burial was at Roselawn Cemetery in Fort Smith. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe Ellis Coker, age 86, of Fort Smith passed away on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005. He was born Dec. 13, 1919. Mr. Coker was the youngest of seven children born to Joseph Ernest and Effie (Ervin) Coker of Lavaca. Upon graduation from Lavaca High School in 1937, Mr. Coker attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello from 1937-1941. As a member of the Arkansas National Guard, Mr. Coker was called to active duty for World War II in 1941. He served in the Aleutian Islands from 1941-1943 and was transferred to an officer's cadre in 1943 to serve in the 187th Combat Engineer's Battalion. Mr. Coker married Esther Marie Ware, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. B.L. Ware of Greenwood, on Sept. 14, 1943. Soon thereafter he was assigned to the European Theater of Operation where he served until 1945. Upon his return to the United States, he was placed on inactive duty. Mr. Coker resumed his education at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, graduating in 1948 with a BSCE degree. For the next eight years he served as the Town Grading Engineer for the Arkansas Inspection and Rating Bureau (later called the Insurance Services Office of Arkansas). In 1956 the Cokers relocated to Fort Smith, where he served as a branch manager of a sprinkler equipment company. Following retirement in 1981 Mr. Coker performed consulting engineering work for the installation of chemical foam fire protection equipment at the Air National Guard facilities in Tulsa, Fort Smith and Little Rock. He was a member of the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the National Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Coker was an active member of Goddard United Methodist Church in Fort Smith, where he taught Sunday school and served as chairman of the administrative board, finance, building fund and endowment committees. He is remembered as a very patient and loving person, and one who gave generously of his time, friendship and financial support. Mr. Coker was also an amazing historian who spent a great deal of time researching and recording his family genealogy. Mr. Coker is survived by his wife Esther of 62 years; daughter Rebecca Bashor (Kent) of Cincinnati; son, Daryl Ellis Coker of Little Rock; grandsons Brian Coker and Brent Coker of Little Rock and Kemp Jaycox (Cindy) of Cincinnati; sisters-in-law Gladys Ware of Fort Smith and Jane Ware of Greenwood; nieces Carolyn Phillips, Janelle Ware and Linda Smith; nephews Byron Ware, Gaylon Ware, Bill Ware and David Ware; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Kathryn Jaycox. Visitation will be at Putman Funeral Home, 4500 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Goddard United Methodist Church, 1922 Dodson Ave., Fort Smith, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 11 a.m. Pallbearers will be Kemp Jaycox, Brian Coker, Brent Coker, Byron Ware, Gaylon Ware and Kent Bashor. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the Wesley Sunday school class of Goddard United Methodist Church. Private interment services will be held at Roselawn Park Cemetery. 1947 University of Arkansas Year Book