HOPE, Ark.—Billy Jack Coffee, 79, of Hope died Monday, May 26, 2008, at his home.

Mr. Coffee was born Dec. 6, 1928, in DeAnn, Ark. He was a retired 2nd Lieutenant with the Arkansas Highway Police Department, a cattle farmer, a 32nd Degree Mason with Whitfield Masonic Lodge No. 239, Evergreen Lodge of Centerville, and a member of Woodmen of the World and First United Methodist Church, Hope.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Almond Coffee of Hope; two daughters and one son-in-law, Kathryn Coffee-House of Wylie, Texas, and Stephanie and David Hicks of Plano, Texas; four sisters, Alice Benson of Roanoke, Texas, Colleen Coffee and Nell Joiner of Shreveport, La., and Joy Stubblefield of Fort Worth, Texas; two brothers-in-law, Jim Vaughn of Hope and C.T. Almond of Lake Fork, Texas; three grandchildren; and a number of other relatives.

Services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Randy Perkins and Dr. Tandy Hanson officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery under direction of Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home.

Visitation will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 400, Hope, AR, 71802.

Online registration is at www.brazzelfuneralhomes.com.