FLORENCE, S.C. – A routine Tuesday afternoon turned deadly when a massive oak tree came crashing down onto Jennifer Denise Coe’s car during a sudden thunderstorm, ending the life of one of Florence’s most beloved women at age 45.
Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken confirmed Jennifer was driving south on Second Loop Road near Freedom Boulevard just after 3 p.m. when high winds snapped the decades-old tree at its base. The trunk smashed directly onto the roof of her silver Honda Accord, crushing it instantly. Emergency crews worked for nearly 40 minutes to extricate her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Witnesses described a terrifying scene: one moment clear skies, the next a deafening crack and the tree toppling without warning.
By Wednesday morning, the spot where Jennifer took her last breath had become a sea of flowers, candles, and handwritten notes.
Friends and coworkers from McLeod Health, where she worked as a patient-care coordinator for 18 years, stood in shock, many still wearing their hospital badges.
“She was the person who brought snacks for night shift, covered your lunch break without being asked, and remembered your kids’ names,” coworker Amanda Poston said through tears. “Patients asked for Jennifer by name because she made the scariest days feel a little less scary.”
A Florence native and South Florence High graduate, Jennifer was known for keeping a stash of greeting cards in her desk and mailing them to anyone going through a hard time. Her Facebook page is now flooded with photos of her famous banana pudding and stories of quiet kindnesses no one knew about until now.
A GoFundMe titled “Jennifer’s Light” has raised over $72,000 in 24 hours to help with funeral costs and to create a patient-comfort fund in her name at McLeod.
Services are set for Saturday at Central United Methodist Church, where Jennifer sang in the choir for more than 20 years. The family asks everyone to wear bright colors—“Jennifer never wore black unless she absolutely had to.”
“Keep loving people hard,” her sister wrote online. “That’s what Jen would tell us all right now.”
Florence feels a little colder today.
Rest easy, Jennifer. Heaven just got the sweetest new angel. 🕊️💛 #JenniferDeniseCoe