Page 41 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 41
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
COFFMAN: Dr. Thomas Lee Coffman was born June 15, 1927, at
Elkins, W.Va., where he was converted and united with Coffman Chapel
U.B. Church at the age of 12. He graduated from Elkins High School,
Bridgewater College (B.A.), and United Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
He also attended Shenandoah College (Junior College Diploma in 1947,
from which the picture at the left was taken).. He married Miss Marie
Robinson (b. Sep. 4, 1928; d. Sep. 2, 1986) Aug. 17, 1947. Their
children are Stephen Lee, Jerry, and Kevin Douglas. They had five
grandchildren: Anne Marie, Alison, Mathew, Anne Carter, and Lee. While in the Seminary he served the New
Palestine and Charity Chapel Churches of the Congregational Christian Church. He joined the Conference in
1952 and was ordained in 1957. He has served Mt. Clinton, 1958-61; Roanoke-Hott Memorial, 1961-64; and
Verona, 1964-69 since his ordination. In 1964 he was Conference Director of Youth Work and Conference
Camp Director. In 2002 he was Executive Director of the Retired Clergy Housing Corporation, living in
Fishersville, Va., with his wife Nancy. Their children are Steve, Jerry, Kevin, Debbie, Keith, Diane, and Cheryl.
In 2012 Thomas and Nancy were listed in the Virginia Annual Conference Journal as living in North
Chesterfield, Va., he being a retired elder. [VAC 2012, p. 19]35 His wife’s memoir is provided in Section II.A
(below). [Glovier 1965, p. 270, from which the picture at the center was taken; see also pp. 77, 91, 96, 127,
131, 167, 171, 197, 202, 203, 246, 311]
COLBERT: Brown Colbert was a pastor serving in the Freedmen’s Mission in Harrisonburg, Va., 1900-01,
along with the following in the Virginia Mission (FM) District: T. K. Clifford, Harrisonburg; W. W. Colley,
Harrisonburg; B. N. Stevens, Zenda; Thomas Givens, Linville; Harrisonburg; and G. A. Newman, Harrisonburg
[Glovier 1965, p. 42].
COLLEY: W. W. Colley was a African-American pastor of Monterey (FM) Mission for conference year 1885-
96. Conference Minutes also show that he was serving in Harrisonburg, 1900-02, along with the following in
the Virginia Mission (FM) District: T. K. Clifford, Harrisonburg; B. N. Stevens, Zenda; Thomas. Givens, Linville;
Brown Colbert, Harrisonburg; and G. A. Newman, Harrisonburg. Monterey (FM) Circuit then had the following
churches: Franklin, Moatstown, and Wright’s Chapel. Marked irregularly withdrawn at 1904 Conference,
having joined the Baptist Church. [Glovier 1965, pp. 41-42].
COLLIS: George Homer Collis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer U. Collis and grandson of Joseph
Romaine Collis (see below), was born on Sep. 28, 1944. He was educated in Martinsburg
schools and upon graduation entered Shenandoah College. After his freshman year, during
which he played baseball and achieved the highest scholastic average among EUB ministerial
students, he transferred to Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, W.Va., where he enrolled as a
junior in Secondary Education. He served as pastor of the Martinsburg Charge—Salem,
Friendship, and Berkeley Place Churches, 1964-66. He transferred in 1968 to New Hampshire
Conference of the UMC, at his own request. He was ordained in 1970. In 1995 he was a
member of the New England UMC Conf. and serving as Executive Director of Promise, Inc. .
[Glovier 1965, p. 291, from which the picture was taken; see also p. 259]
COLLIS: Joseph Romaine Collis was born Aug. 1, 1887, at
Pikeside, Berkeley County, W.Va., to John M. and Lucy M. Collis. He
was converted in 1903. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 161] Following a
definite call to the ministry in 1911 he entered Shenandoah
Collegiate Institute, Dayton, Va., where he spent 6 ½ years in
preparation for the ministry. While here he served Mt. Bethel U.B.
Church near Harriston, Augusta County, Va. He joined Va. Conf. in
1915. He served Reliance, 1915-17; Singer’s Glen, 1918-19; Broadway, 1919-
22; and Inwood, 1922-31; Berkeley Springs Station, 1931-38; and Martinsburg
Second (later St. Luke’s), 1938-52. He led in building improvements at several of these churches. Rev. Collis
served Va. Conf. in the following positions or capacities: Vice-President of the Conference C. E. Union;
President of the Board of Christian Education; member of the Board of Evangelism; trustee of Shenandoah
College; and member of the Church Erection Society and of the Conference Board of Missions. He was a
delegate to five General Conferences. He died at Siler, Va., Dec. 4, 1952, at the age of 65. Funeral services
were conducted Dec. 8th from St. Luke’s Church in Martinsburg with Dr. F. L. Fulk in charge. Bishop D. T.
Gregory gave the message. Following this service the procession proceeded to Dayton, Va., where brief burial
services were held by Dr. F. L. Fulk, and Rev. D. F. Glovier. Other ministers taking part in funeral and burial
services were Revs. J. Paul Gruver, J. R. Wood, Carl W. Hiser, L. C. Messick, O. R. Kesner, H. L. Fulk, P. W.
Fisher, J. R. Sawyer, R. L. Brill, and W. B. Obaugh. Interment was in Dayton Cemetery. [Funkhouser 1921,
35 “Clergy Directory,” Journal of the 2012 Virginia Annual Conference.
Biographical Sketches 29
COFFMAN: Dr. Thomas Lee Coffman was born June 15, 1927, at
Elkins, W.Va., where he was converted and united with Coffman Chapel
U.B. Church at the age of 12. He graduated from Elkins High School,
Bridgewater College (B.A.), and United Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
He also attended Shenandoah College (Junior College Diploma in 1947,
from which the picture at the left was taken).. He married Miss Marie
Robinson (b. Sep. 4, 1928; d. Sep. 2, 1986) Aug. 17, 1947. Their
children are Stephen Lee, Jerry, and Kevin Douglas. They had five
grandchildren: Anne Marie, Alison, Mathew, Anne Carter, and Lee. While in the Seminary he served the New
Palestine and Charity Chapel Churches of the Congregational Christian Church. He joined the Conference in
1952 and was ordained in 1957. He has served Mt. Clinton, 1958-61; Roanoke-Hott Memorial, 1961-64; and
Verona, 1964-69 since his ordination. In 1964 he was Conference Director of Youth Work and Conference
Camp Director. In 2002 he was Executive Director of the Retired Clergy Housing Corporation, living in
Fishersville, Va., with his wife Nancy. Their children are Steve, Jerry, Kevin, Debbie, Keith, Diane, and Cheryl.
In 2012 Thomas and Nancy were listed in the Virginia Annual Conference Journal as living in North
Chesterfield, Va., he being a retired elder. [VAC 2012, p. 19]35 His wife’s memoir is provided in Section II.A
(below). [Glovier 1965, p. 270, from which the picture at the center was taken; see also pp. 77, 91, 96, 127,
131, 167, 171, 197, 202, 203, 246, 311]
COLBERT: Brown Colbert was a pastor serving in the Freedmen’s Mission in Harrisonburg, Va., 1900-01,
along with the following in the Virginia Mission (FM) District: T. K. Clifford, Harrisonburg; W. W. Colley,
Harrisonburg; B. N. Stevens, Zenda; Thomas Givens, Linville; Harrisonburg; and G. A. Newman, Harrisonburg
[Glovier 1965, p. 42].
COLLEY: W. W. Colley was a African-American pastor of Monterey (FM) Mission for conference year 1885-
96. Conference Minutes also show that he was serving in Harrisonburg, 1900-02, along with the following in
the Virginia Mission (FM) District: T. K. Clifford, Harrisonburg; B. N. Stevens, Zenda; Thomas. Givens, Linville;
Brown Colbert, Harrisonburg; and G. A. Newman, Harrisonburg. Monterey (FM) Circuit then had the following
churches: Franklin, Moatstown, and Wright’s Chapel. Marked irregularly withdrawn at 1904 Conference,
having joined the Baptist Church. [Glovier 1965, pp. 41-42].
COLLIS: George Homer Collis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer U. Collis and grandson of Joseph
Romaine Collis (see below), was born on Sep. 28, 1944. He was educated in Martinsburg
schools and upon graduation entered Shenandoah College. After his freshman year, during
which he played baseball and achieved the highest scholastic average among EUB ministerial
students, he transferred to Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, W.Va., where he enrolled as a
junior in Secondary Education. He served as pastor of the Martinsburg Charge—Salem,
Friendship, and Berkeley Place Churches, 1964-66. He transferred in 1968 to New Hampshire
Conference of the UMC, at his own request. He was ordained in 1970. In 1995 he was a
member of the New England UMC Conf. and serving as Executive Director of Promise, Inc. .
[Glovier 1965, p. 291, from which the picture was taken; see also p. 259]
COLLIS: Joseph Romaine Collis was born Aug. 1, 1887, at
Pikeside, Berkeley County, W.Va., to John M. and Lucy M. Collis. He
was converted in 1903. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 161] Following a
definite call to the ministry in 1911 he entered Shenandoah
Collegiate Institute, Dayton, Va., where he spent 6 ½ years in
preparation for the ministry. While here he served Mt. Bethel U.B.
Church near Harriston, Augusta County, Va. He joined Va. Conf. in
1915. He served Reliance, 1915-17; Singer’s Glen, 1918-19; Broadway, 1919-
22; and Inwood, 1922-31; Berkeley Springs Station, 1931-38; and Martinsburg
Second (later St. Luke’s), 1938-52. He led in building improvements at several of these churches. Rev. Collis
served Va. Conf. in the following positions or capacities: Vice-President of the Conference C. E. Union;
President of the Board of Christian Education; member of the Board of Evangelism; trustee of Shenandoah
College; and member of the Church Erection Society and of the Conference Board of Missions. He was a
delegate to five General Conferences. He died at Siler, Va., Dec. 4, 1952, at the age of 65. Funeral services
were conducted Dec. 8th from St. Luke’s Church in Martinsburg with Dr. F. L. Fulk in charge. Bishop D. T.
Gregory gave the message. Following this service the procession proceeded to Dayton, Va., where brief burial
services were held by Dr. F. L. Fulk, and Rev. D. F. Glovier. Other ministers taking part in funeral and burial
services were Revs. J. Paul Gruver, J. R. Wood, Carl W. Hiser, L. C. Messick, O. R. Kesner, H. L. Fulk, P. W.
Fisher, J. R. Sawyer, R. L. Brill, and W. B. Obaugh. Interment was in Dayton Cemetery. [Funkhouser 1921,
35 “Clergy Directory,” Journal of the 2012 Virginia Annual Conference.
Biographical Sketches 29
