Bill Coughlin --Rest in Peace

Today marks the passing of a great man, my Uncle Bill Coughlin.

Uncle Bill was born on November 14, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio, the fourth child of Connie and Cora (Bowers) Coughlin. Bill had three older brothers: Fran (Connie), Jack, and Bob; and a baby sister, Bernice. Bill spent his earliest years between Cleveland and Willoughby and attended high school at Willoughby Union High School. Not long after high school, Bill and his three brothers entered the service, fighting for their country in World War II. Thanks be to God, they all returned home

After the war the Coughlin kids all married. Bill married Mary Catherine (Kay) Smith in 1948 at Immaculate Conception Church in Willoughby. A year later, their first child, Regina (Jeannie), was born--with many others still to come: Jackie, Billy, Tim, Virginia, Joe, and Kelly.

Bill and Kay first raised their family in Eastlake, moving to Willowick around 1960. Bill worked on the locomotives at New York Central, first as a fireman, later as an engineer. I remember the long hours taking trains to Erie and Buffalo and back. At one point I think all my Coughlin uncles (as well as my Dad) worked at New York Central; same for many of my Fitzpatrick relatives. I came this close to working on the railroad myself.

What I remember most about Uncle Bill was his joyfulness. My sister Mary Ellen and her husband Ed, and my brother Denny and his wife Sher talked to Bill the night before he died. And though he was weak, he laughed, joked, told stories, and was himself through and through--right up until the end. Bill was smart, funny, kind--a man of honesty, integrity, and deep-down goodness. No one ever failed to notice the joyfulness and goodness. Bill was a good Catholic Christian all his life. He was all one could hope for in a husband and a father (and an uncle). He, Kay, and my cousins suffered one of the worst tragedies when their son and brother, Tim, died of cancer so young. But it didn't destroy Bill and Kay's faith and wonderful spirit.

Our hearts go out to Aunt Kay, to our cousins, to the many grandchildren and great grandchildren, and to the many friends of Bill Coughlin.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam!

"May he, Uncle Bill, be at the right hand of the Lord!"