Cortland Roger Coene

(Durham) – Cortland Roger Coene died peacefully at Duke University Hospital on July 10, 2021. He was 56. Born on July 18, 1964 in Bronxville, NY, he called North Carolina his home for the last 20 years.

After graduating from Archbishop Stepinac High School, where he played football and lacrosse, Cort attended Hartwick College. He had, by all accounts, a blast that year at Hartwick… Anyway, with the maturity gained from a few intervening years, he decided to give college another shot, this time enrolling at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Economics while working full-time at Nortel. He then went on to attain an MBA from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He established the Ann Arbor Climbing Gym, which he owned and operated for seven years. He came back to the Southeast to have a long project management career in the IT field. He enjoyed travel and was grateful for the opportunity to go to Australia, England, India, and Brazil on business. Cort had a knack for making people work toward a common goal, and was notorious for moving boring meetings along by loudly tapping a pen on the conference table. He was proud of that talent. He also had a talent for picking winning fantasy football teams, precisely quoting lines from movies, playing the didgeridoo (to some degree), and making a toddler chuckle until milk shot out of said toddler’s nose. Cortland truly adored his family, and they, him. He was a devoted husband to Jean, his wife of 15 years, and doting father to Cooper. He shared his love of sports, movies, science and history with his son. Most Fridays were “bros’ night in” for him and Coop, just hanging out at home doing guy things.

In addition to Jean and Cooper, Cortland is survived by his mother, Barbara P. Coene of Jamestown, NC, his sister, Karen Lagasse and brother-in-law Steve of Newark, DE, his brother-in-law Ramon Sotelo, and wife, Cecilia, of Chapel Hill, his nephew, Stephen Lagasse (Kortney), niece, Nicole Weinstein (Michael), niece, Nicole Versteeg (Casper), his aunts, Nancy Poole and Janet Porterfield, cousins, great-nieces and nephews. Cortland was preceded in death by his beloved father, Roger E. Coene.

Instead of flowers, Cort would have hoped that you would consider adopting a rescue dog or performing an unsolicited act of kindness. Or, if so moved, his family would appreciate a donation made in his memory to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org).

A Mass of Christian burial will be offered 11:00 am Friday, July 16, 2021 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham. Friends may visit with the family after mass.

The (Coene) family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online condolences: www.hallwynne.com – select obituaries.