Kennewick Man, Woman of the Year celebrated for lifting up youth

This year’s Kennewick Man and Woman of the Year are Doug Overturf and Amy Mueller Coffman. 

Both individuals, who have built upon their families’ long-standing Tri-Cities legacies through philanthropy, community involvement and business leadership, were honored at the annual awards ceremony on Feb. 23. 

The awards date back to the mid-1940s. Former Kennewick mayor Lawrence Scott – namesake of Lawrence Scott Park on Canal Drive – won the first Kennewick Man of the Year. The first Woman of Achievement was Blanche Dickinson Pratt, a founder and the first president of the East Benton County Historical Society along with many other civic endeavors. 

Ever since, the awards are given to those who have been servants of the public in Kennewick and often the broader Tri-City region. 

The nominations for Overturf, current owner of the Kennewick-based car dealership established by his family 60 years ago, and Coffman, one of the fourth-generation owners of the funerary business established by her family more than 100 years ago, said both were remarkable for their quiet yet incredible impact on the Tri-Cities. 

Overturf not only contributed to the $6 million capital campaign to build a new Boys & Girls Clubs clubhouse in east Kennewick but was among those who volunteered with the campaign.  

He’s supported numerous other efforts focused on youth, including the Eerkes Memorial Golf Classic for Kids, Children’s Development Center, Kennewick National Baseball and the adult mentoring programs of Young Life. 

“Doug lost his father at an early age and knows personally the fears and obstacles of a child without a father,” his nomination read. “But from his father Doug recognized and embraced his father’s commitment and support to our community.” 

Additionally, Overturf supported the effort to establish Benton County’s public safety sales tax, which was first approved by voters in 2014 and when it was renewed two years ago.  

Coffman has been involved as a parent at Chinook Middle School and Southridge High School but took Amistad Elementary under her wing after working on a project for the school in her role as president of Kiwanis Club of Kennewick a few years ago. 

She manages programs for the school through its Orca Booster Club, has spearheaded the school’s annual Jog-A-Thon for multiple years, orchestrated its Math Night, forged a partnership with Scholastic to buy hundreds of books so each student could take one home, and organizes teacher appreciation efforts. 

“It is of particular interest to note that she has no tie to the school as far as having children or grandchildren attending, or even relatives teaching at the school,” Coffman’s nomination letter read. “She just sees a desperate need and follows through to see these deserving students get what extra she can help provide.” 

All that is on top of her leadership within Kiwanis – which supports numerous projects, provides hundreds of thousands of dollars to community causes and supports thousands of children – and her involvement with her church, where she has served in numerous leadership roles.