James Md

James Wallace "Wally" Coonfield, M. D. 68, of Vinita, died Monday, Nov. 4, 2013, at his home. His son, Daniel, was by his side. He had lived in Vinita since 1996 and was employed as a physician at Oklahoma Forensics Center. Since 1996 he had also worked at Grand Lake Mental Health, Willowcrest Hospital in Miami and the Northeastern Tribal Health Center, Miami. James Wallace Coonfield was born March 4, 1945, in Tahlequah. His family moved from Oaks to Copan when he started school. Wally was a star athlete and excelled in baseball, football and basketball. He graduated from Copan High School in 1963, and just recently attended his 50th class reunion. He attended college at Northeastern A&M, in Miami,where he was on the boxing team and competed in the Golden Gloves. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, in 1967, with a B.S. in psychology. He received a master's degree in psychology from Kansas State Teacher's College in Pittsburg, Kan., in 1970, and, after working for several years, returned to school to study medicine. He received his M.D. degree in 1978 from the University of Kansas, and lived and worked as a physician in the Kansas City area until moving to Oklahoma in 1991. Wally was married to Kathleen Ballbeck from 1969 to 1989, and they had one son and six daughters. In 1991, he married Scarlett Custer and they had a daughter, Lara Ann. Wally loved life and lived it to the fullest. He loved to sail, he was an avid hunter and had been a master falconer for 25 years. He enjoyed traveling. He loved music and art. He was an excellent cook, and loved nothing more than preparing meals for his friends and family. In 2010, with his former wife, Kathleen, he opened The Cooked Goose Cafe in Vinita. It quickly became a favorite with many customers. Wally was one-quarter Cherokee and took great pride in his Indian heritage. He loved his country and was a devout Catholic. Wally will be greatly missed by his many patients and colleagues, his neighbors and friends, and especially his family. He will be remembered for his zest for life, his generosity, his warmth and fun-loving nature, style and sense of humor. Wally was preceded in death by his mother, Christena Foreman Forrest; his stepfather, Chester Forrest; his brother, Walter Coonfield; his brother, Wendell Forrest; his sister-in-law, Vickie Forrest; son-in-law Chuck Monaco; and identical twin sons, Michael and Joseph. He is survived by his children, Carmen Rasmussen of Ventura, Calif., Maria Coonfield of Pittsburg, Kan., Emily Saatcioglu of Kansas City, Mo., Louise Coonfield of Shawnee, Okla., Daniel Coonfield of Lawrence, Kan., Katie Staley of Lawrence, Kan., Phoebe Coonfield of Vinita, and Lara Coonfield of Vinita; his sons-in-law, Mark Rasmussen, Argun Saatcioglu and Adam Staley; and seven grandchildren, Trina Monaco Trefen of Pryor, Mia Monaco of Ventura, Calif., Clarissa Neal, Curtis and Chiara Britt of Pittsburg, Kan., Miles Marhall and Heidi Staley of Lawrence, Kan. Rosary will be held at Luginbuel Funeral Home, 332 N. Scraper, at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Funeral services will be held at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, 120 W. Sequoyah, Saturday, November 9, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. Services have been entrusted to Luginbuel Funeral Home in Vinita, Oklahoma. Friends and family may leave online condolences by viewing Wally's obituary at www.honoringmemories.com

Visitation Details

Friday, November 8th, 2013 6:30pm - 8:00pm, Luginbuel Funeral Home

Service Details

Saturday, November 9th, 2013 10:30am, Holy Ghost Catholic Church

Interment Details

Oaks Cemetery