James H. Coon, 87, president of the Bank of Milton for many years, died at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, 1955 at Mercy hospital, Janesville. He had been in failing health for some time but had been at his accustomed place at the bank until one week before his death, and had maintained his interest in church and civic affairs.
Mr. Coon held many other positions of trust in the village, his church, and denomination. He was widely known in banking circles throughout southern Wisconsin. He was an active member of the board of trustees of Milton College, acting as treasurer of the college. He also was treasurer of the local Red Cross and Cemetery association. He was a member of the Milton Seventh Day Baptist church and had served the denomination as treasurer of its General Conference for 27 years.
Mr. Coon was born March 20, 1867, in Utica, Wis., the son of Capt. W. H. H. and Harmina Burdick Coon, pioneer residents of Dane county. He engaged in mercantile business at Utica until 1907 when he came to Milton to take employment in Bank of Milton, becoming its president in 1938, which office he held at the time of his death.
He was married to Miss Rose Kelley on March 30, 1891. She died December 27, 1946. On October 22, 1949, he married Mrs. Lena H. Clarke of Denver, Colo., who survives him, together with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Frederick W. Coon, for many years the editor of the Edgerton Tobacco Reporter; Dayton B. Coon, Milton, and one sister, Mrs. A. B. Stillman, Milton.
The funeral was held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, in the Milton Seventh Day Baptist church, with Rev. Elmo FitzRandolph officiating. Kenneth Babcock furnished musical selections. Pallbearers were Phil Hudson, Ernest Shellestad, Byron Rood, J. Fred Whitford, Elwyn Johnson and Frank Holmes.
