Hobart D. “Bert” Coffman graduated at the very top of his graduating class of 221 students in 1966 and served as its co-valedictorian. During his three years at Philip Barbour, Bert earned numerous academic accolades, including a perfect 4.0 GPA, sterling ACT and SAT records and selection as a National Merit Finalist. A Golden Horseshoe recipient and National Honor Society member, he maintained an outstanding attendance record and participated in county 4H activities and the SPQR organization at PBHS.
While his academic credentials could have opened doors to many lucrative career paths, Bert continued his education in a call to ministry within the United Methodist Church. He went on to serve as a pastor for 39 years, comprised of seven years in Morgantown, 16 years in Fairmont on a three-point charge, and then 16 years in Grafton. During his time in the pastorate, Reverend Coffman also took on the role of Director of the UMC Senior High Camp for 30 years.
He further became director of the church’s Russian Initiative for two decades, during which time he organized and/or led missions to the Ural Region of Russia. Over the past ten years, the trips have taken him and his groups to Tyumen in Siberia. There, the Church of the Salvation, a United Methodist congregation, started as a home Bible study and expanded to worship in the sanctuary of its own church building. Within their Russian Initiative outreach programs, the group has worked with citizens of Ghana who work in Tyumen.
While his 40-plus year career may not have led to significant personal financial gain or recognition, Barbour County’s Bert Coffman has enriched the lives of countless individuals, including prisoners and the homeless, both in West Virginia and around the world.
While his academic credentials could have opened doors to many lucrative career paths, Bert continued his education in a call to ministry within the United Methodist Church. He went on to serve as a pastor for 39 years, comprised of seven years in Morgantown, 16 years in Fairmont on a three-point charge, and then 16 years in Grafton. During his time in the pastorate, Reverend Coffman also took on the role of Director of the UMC Senior High Camp for 30 years.
He further became director of the church’s Russian Initiative for two decades, during which time he organized and/or led missions to the Ural Region of Russia. Over the past ten years, the trips have taken him and his groups to Tyumen in Siberia. There, the Church of the Salvation, a United Methodist congregation, started as a home Bible study and expanded to worship in the sanctuary of its own church building. Within their Russian Initiative outreach programs, the group has worked with citizens of Ghana who work in Tyumen.
While his 40-plus year career may not have led to significant personal financial gain or recognition, Barbour County’s Bert Coffman has enriched the lives of countless individuals, including prisoners and the homeless, both in West Virginia and around the world.