Stephen Dale Coffin

Stephen Dale Coffin

December 3, 1946 – July 10, 2025

Stephen “Steve” Dale Coffin passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 10, 2025, after a long struggle with illness. He was 78.

Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa on December 3, 1946, to Dale and Beverly Coffin, Steve lived a life of quiet strength, steady devotion, and meaningful service. He married Barbara Jensen in 1986 and took on the role of father to her eight children, giving him nine children (one son from a previous marriage). Together, they built a home filled with love, music, patience, and purpose. Barbara preceded him in death in 2018, shortly after relocating from Mesa, Arizona to Lehi, Utah.

Steve wasn’t flashy—he showed up. He mowed lawns, fixed closet rods, and answered repeated questions with patience. He quietly took care of what needed doing and never looked for credit. A daughter wrote that he was a “knight in shining armor” not because he sought praise, but because he always did the quiet, necessary things that held a home and family together. He let others shine, and did the behind-the-scenes lifting with grace.

He loved and adored Barbara unconditionally—one of the greatest gifts to the children. He regularly went with her to antique stores and countless garage sales because she loved it. They built traditions together, things he continued after she passed, and regularly referenced what she would do and how she would do it.

A man of deep faith and dependable character, Steve served faithfully in many roles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including a mission with Barbara in San Diego in 2016. He was a pillar to his family and a loyal friend to many—always a shoulder to lean on, always ready to help.

Steve enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the U.S. Military, rising to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. He was best known for leading the 108th Army Band, where his musical talent and leadership left a lasting impression. Music was his greatest passion, a gift he shared generously—as a trombonist, pianist, organist, guitarist, conductor, and private instructor. Church choirs, students, and family gatherings alike were better because of his touch. He was well known for his annual Christmas recitals and ready comments about his appreciation for more complex music and insistence that we could all do music a little better.

He is survived by a brother Scott Coffin, sister Suzanne Nolting, nine children—Lisa Randall, Kristin Walker, Sheila King, Joanna Johnson, Amy Cameron, Emily Rogers, Briant Howard, Greg Coffin, and Alison Anderson—as well as dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is remembered with love, respect, and a smile by all who knew him.

We will especially miss his dry humor, his quiet example, and his enduring loyalty. The family wishes to thank all who loved and cared for Steve—neighbors, students, friends, ward members, and his “Burger Boys.”

A visitation will be held on Saturday, July 19, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in the Lehi 19th Ward Chapel, located at 150 East 1500 North, Lehi, Utah. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m., with interment at the Lehi City Cemetery.

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