Dr. Joseph D. Coffineau

Dr. Joseph Coffineau of Galloway, NJ passed away peacefully at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, surrounded by his wife and loved ones on July 30, 2026 just four weeks before his 90th birthday. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Joe was preceded in death by his parents Bertha and Solomon Coffineau. He is survived by his loving wife, Blanche; sister, Estelle McArthur; sister-in-law, Josephine (Luigi) Beghi; son, Joseph (Susan) Coffineau; daughters, Celeste (Eli) Conaghy, Victoria (Henry) Coffineau, and Christine (Matthew) Wagner; grandson, Joey Coffineau; granddaughters, Nicole (Jacopo) Coffineau, Danielle Conaghy, and Christine (Gianfranco) Rifici; great-grandson, Giovanni Rifici; and the family of Steven and Jamie Sue Conaghy; and their children, Harper Rose and Hunter.

Joe was an accomplished high school athlete in track and lacrosse and graduated with honors from Sewanhaka HS in Floral Park, NY, then served a two-year enlistment in the US Army, most of which was in Germany. Upon returning to the US, he enrolled in SUNY Cortland where he fell in love with his future wife and graduated with both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Physical Education. He and Blanche settled in East Northport, Long Island where they raised their four children and were both Phys Ed teachers. After several years, Joe decided to pursue a Medical Doctor’s degree, spending almost nine years studying at the University of Padova, Italy while simultaneously working fulltime to support the family. After graduating and completing the grueling Intern and Residency programs at Jersey City Medical Center, he relocated the family to NJ and built a successful OB/GYN practice on Pitney Rd in Galloway. Devoted to his profession, Joe took pride in delivering (no pun intended) the best possible medical care to his patients, earning a stellar reputation in the Atlantic City region and eventually retiring from the practice in 2012. Soon however, he felt he had more to give to the community and he worked at John Brooks Recovery Center in Pleasantville, NJ for a few more years.

Joe attended St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, taught 8th grade CCD for 15 years and was a recurring lector, reading the Scriptures during mass. Joe was also an active member and Treasurer of the Absecon Lions Club and a Sir Knight, Member of the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus. Joe and Blanche could always be seen at their granddaughters, Danielle and Christine’s Holy Spirit High School soccer games (no matter the weather!) and were bursting with pride when Christine won the Press of Atlantic City’s “Girls Soccer Player of the Year” award in 2016. When Alicia Downey stepped down as Holy Spirit’s Girls Soccer coach in 2023, she asked Christine to take over as the new coach resulting in even more cheering from Joe and Blanche….no matter the weather.

Joe loved traveling with Blanche to visit family, friends and the tourist sites in Europe, the Middle East, South America and Southeast Asia, always returning with interesting stories, photographs and souvenirs. Joe will be dearly missed by all who had the pleasure of having known, worked or prayed with him, but especially by his caring wife and loving family.

Visitation will be 9AM to 10:45AM on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 591 New Jersey Ave., Absecon. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11AM. Joe will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mays Landing, following the funeral mass. Online condolences may be placed at www.parselsfh.com.