Judith Ann (Coggins) Dolson, 82 years old, died Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at Sunrise Senior Living at Hunter Mill, Oakton, Virginia. She was the widow of James Vincent Dolson, who died November 4, 2010. The couple were married for more than 51 beautiful years.
Born December 2, 1937, in Scranton, PA, Judy was the daughter of the late Edward Joseph and Mary (O’Malley) Coggins. She was a 1956 graduate of Central High School in Scranton PA. She was a teacher of children and young adults with special needs for over 28 years in Fairfax County VA (North Springfield Elementary School, Francis Scott Key Intermediate School and McLean High School).
A loving and devoted wife, mother, and friend, Judy was proud of her grandchildren and regularly enjoyed sharing stories about them. Her friendly nature and quick wit were appreciated by those who knew and loved her. She and her husband, Jim, would make regular pilgrimages to Scranton as together they shared a rich history having each been born and raised there.
Judy loved to travel (most especially to Ireland and to spend time with her beloved cousin Jean Bynes in Chicago, IL and Fort Myers, FL), eat at restaurants, watch performances of all types, write letters with Jim (with a particular emphasis directed toward those who were without “voices,” marginalized, disenfranchised, or disempowered). She loved to co-host gatherings at home which included lively (raucous) singing, dancing, and tambourine playing with, among others, the Morris family gathered around the piano as Jim’s fingers would fly across the ivories. Judy enjoyed talking passionately about politics and was never shy about letting her thoughts and feelings be known.
She dearly loved her large circle of longtime colleagues and friends. Judy was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Annandale, Virginia and St. James Parish, Falls Church, Virginia. Judy’s survivors include a son, Andrew of Richmond VA; a daughter, Maria Verroye of Austin TX; three brothers: Gerard Coggins of Bear DE, John Coggins of Seattle WA, and Robert “Jake” Coggins of Tompkinsville PA; one sister: Marybeth Coggins of Long Beach CA; five grandsons: Connor, Brennan, and Cullen Dolson of Richmond VA; Moses Verroye-Cannone and Malick Verroye-Cannone of Austin TX; six granddaughters: Natasha Verroye (Jarred Brown) of Gaithersburg MD; Juliette Verroye of Austin TX; Chloe Verroye (Naomi) of Gaithersburg MD; Maeve Verroye-Cannone, Neve Verroye-Cannone, and Bette Verroye-Cannone of Austin TX; two great-grandchildren, Monty Verroye-Brown and Scarlett Verroye-Brown of Gaithersburg MD.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, James, Thomas and Jeffrey Coggins. The funeral will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at the Jennings-Calvey Funeral and Cremation Home, 111 Colburn Avenue, Clarks Summit, PA 18411 with visitation beginning at 10:00 am, and a Service at 11:30 am by Pastor Doug Bursch, a dear friend of Judy’s. The interment will be at Clarks Green Cemetery.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, in Washington, D.C., of which Judy was a founding contributor. nmaahc. si.
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