Joel Coey

On May 31, 2014, Joel Thomas Coey passed away peacefully at his home in Prairie Village, Kansas. Joel was born on April 28, 1957 in Shelbyville, Tennessee to Paula Mollendorf Coey and Charles Rappleye Coey. He joined older brothers Jeffrey and Kevin Coey, who together formed an inseparable group known as the Coey Boys. After the sudden loss of their father in 1962, the family relocated to Paula's childhood home of Park Ridge, Illinois, and later to Leawood, Kansas in 1970.

In 1989, Joel and wife Kathy Fulkerson Coey combined their talents to launch Sign Graphics & Design in the Brookside neighborhood and in 1985 and 1987 were thrilled to welcome sons Tyler and Tommy of whom they are very proud. Both sons still reside in Kansas City and, through their own business ventures, continue the family tradition of artistry and innovation.

Among friends and family, Joel will always be remembered for his warm and caring nature. He found fulfillment in helping others and would go out of his way for the people he loved as well as for those in need of a hand. Joel was a man of great compassion and understanding, a certain, very practical wisdom and quite a lot of charm. He loved life and he loved people; for Joel interactions with others were filled with enthusiasm and meaning.

A gifted craftsman, Joel was known for his patience, ingenuity and dedication to doing things right. He will be deeply missed by so many, including partner Lori Hoodenpyle and her sister Leslie Polhemus, who were warriors in Joel's battle with Glioblastoma, a brain cancer that took him across the country and to the very frontier of medicine and technology. Leslie's daughters Kelsey and Skyler, along with her husband Richard Polhemus, all of San Francisco, were deeply moved and inspired by Joel's courage and steadfast equanimity, as were his sons, brothers and all those who were close to him during this period.

Joel's loss is similarly felt by his nieces and nephews, including brother Jeff and sister-in-law Leah's children Clare and Evan Coey of Hong Kong and brother Kevin's sons, Charles, Kyle and Paul Coey, all originally from Champaign, Illinois. Joel's step-sisters Laura, Martha and Elizabeth will miss him dearly. Joel is also survived by a grand-daughter, the delightful, three year old Kaylee, daughter to Tommy Coey.

Joel, a graduate of The Barstow School and The University of Kansas, will also be missed by his many associates across the Kansas City area and other friends and family members near and far. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Joel's honor be made to The American Jazz Museum, Kansas City at 1616 East 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108: americanjazzmuseum.org. Memorial services will be planned for Joel in the weeks ahead with updates appearing via yahoo search engine on facebook.com/rememberingjoeltcoey.