James Bruce Coffman Dies — Organ donees lose hero

It is with great sadness that I report that James Bruce Coffman (J.B.), died on January 19, 2008 in Houston, Texas.  The following is from his obituary in the Houston Chronicle:

He was a loving husband to his wife Pepi, an amazing dad, a doting granddad, a valued mentor and a loyal friend. He earned the respect of everyone who knew him.***

   

One of J.B.’s proudest achievements was as founder and chairman of Oil Industry Lifesaving (OIL) Flights, which used petroleum corporate aircraft during the 1980’s to aid organ transplant recipients. J.B. recruited 47 petroleum companies to form a fleet of 56 corporate aircraft that donated emergency flights for organs, surgical teams and/or organ recipients and their families at a time when there were limited transplant centers in the United States.