The Rev. Buckner Coe
DECEMBER 11, 1924 - MAY 11, 2018
Reverend Buckner Coe formerly of Claremont, Lake Forest and Laguna Beach, CA passed away peacefully May 11th, 2018. He was 93.
Buckner Coe was minister of the Spring Glen Church from 1953-1962.
Buckner (Buck) Coe was a sixth generation minister. A graduate of Yale University and
the Yale Divinity School, he served as a pastor for churches in Zanesville, Ohio, Lordship
and Hamden, Connecticut, Wilmette, Illinois, Claremont, California, and Cleveland, Ohio.
He also served as an interim minister in Scarsdale, New York and, in retirement, was a
guest preacher at the Neighborhood Congregational Church of Laguna Beach, CA.
He was outspoken on peace and social justice issues. He marched with Martin Luther
King in Selma in 1965, was a leader in the 1965 Chicago-area North Shore Summer
Project for fair housing, and lead anti-Vietnam War campaigns in both the Chicago area
and Claremont, CA He concluded his career working for the National Farm Worker
Ministry on behalf of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union to improve
wages and working conditions for farm workers. He continued his active engagement in
politics and social issues in his retirement.
Throughout his career and in his retirement, Reverend Coe engaged in a scholarly
pursuit of the work of H. Richard Niebuhr, a Protestant theologian and Christian ethicist.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Judith Polich, whose love and care for him had no
bounds, a sister, Rev. Ansley Coe Throckmorton, four children, Andy (Liz), the Reverend
Karen Chalmers Coe, Jonathan (Julie), and Sara, and grandsons Ryan and Jackson. He
was pre-deceased by his wife, Kathryn Dowley Coe and his brother, the Reverend
Chalmers Coe.
A service to celebrate Buckner Coe's life will be held on Saturday, June 16 at 11 AM at
the Neighborhood Congregational Church (NCC), 340 St. Ann's Drive, Laguna Beach. In
lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to JOY!, the social justice
outreach work of NCC. Contributions can be made out and sent to Neighborhood
Congregational Church with “JOY! Outreach-Coe” referenced. For further information
call the church office at 949-494-8061.
CLICK here to read 1968 LIFE Magazine article about Rev. Coe. (Pages 83-84, You will need to scroll up to see entire article.)
