Obituary of Dorothy Rita Coon

Dorothy Rita Balles Coon, age 90, passed away at Hilltop Manor, Johnson City, on November 24, 2015. Born March 6, 1925 in Binghamton, NY, to Clarence and Catherine Balles. Dorothy grew up in Johnson City. In 1949, she married Walter P. Coon and the two of them raised 10 children on the west side of Binghamton over the next 40 years or so. Dorothy and Walter shared their love for 57 years, until Walter's death in 2006. In adulthood Dorothy was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, where she was a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Altar Rosary Society and at the appropriate point in her life, a member of the Over-50 Club. She belonged to the National and Local AARP 3071 and was an election inspector for the City of Binghamton for over 20 years. After high school, Dorothy and a select group of her friends formed a Ladies Pinochle Club, which after 70 years still gathered irregularly to visit, share a dessert, and, oh yes, play some cards. The last few years of her life were spent at the Hilltop Manor of the United Methodist Homes in Johnson City where she made many new friends. Dorothy held a deep Catholic faith, a faith from which she sought guidance, hope, and relief, and throughout her life, she maintained a devoted prayer life. Dorothy lived by common maxims. Her version of the Golden Rule was "If you haven't got something good to say, then don't say anything at all", another saying, "Do as I say, not as I do", was sometimes stated, but was seldom applicable. Dorothy was a day-to-day model of living what she believed and seldom did her actions conflict with her words. Dorothy enjoyed staying at home and raising her children, whom she loved very much and who, by all appearances and standards, have benefitted from her love and attention. Her example of living lovingly will be carried on by her brother, Raymond (Doris) Balles, Johnson City; her children, Dennis (Cindi Barba), Syracuse, James (Rosemarie), Sarasota, FL, William (Loraine), Trumansburg, NY, Timothy (Joan), Latham, NY, Michael (Sandy), Clarence, NY, Maureen, Trent Woods, NC, Patricia (Joseph) Mariano, Endicott; Kathleen, Wellington, FL and Mary, Fairport, NY; 17 grandchildren, Scott, Ryan, Danae, Whitney, Brandon, Colin, Aidan, Nicole, Kaitlyn, and Kiersten Coon, Christopher Perry-Coon, Vincent and Victor Mariano, Samantha and Benjamin Perlman, Nolan and Mariah Schmidt; her great grandchildren, Jaidyn, Ayana, and Noah; and many nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Walter; her daughter, Margaret (Douglas) Schmidt, Endicott; her parents, Clarence and Catherine (Mangan) Balles, Johnson City and her brother, C. Bernard (Ruth) Balles, Endwell. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Highland Avenue, Binghamton Monday at 9:30 am. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at the J. A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, 141 Main Street, Binghamton Sunday from 12 noon until 3 p.m. Donations in memory of Dorothy may be made to Seton Catholic Central High School Tuition Assistance, 70 Seminary Avenue, Binghamton, NY 13905.