James Michael “Mike” Coyne, age 68 of Mesquite, TX, passed away September 3, 2021. He was born October 15, 1952, in San Antonio, TX, to John Bernard Coyne and Dorothy (McGerr) Coyne. As the first of only two boys in a Catholic family of eight children, Mike was the first to learn to mow the lawn, serve as an altar boy, and play football, the sport that would dominate the next decade of his life. As a student at Bishop Lynch High School, he lettered in football and track, eventually earning a full-ride to Rice University, in Houston, TX, where he played until the end of his freshman year when a head injury sidelined him for good. If not for that ending, he might have missed the new beginning he found in Dallas, Texas, at Sanger Harris department store where he met the love of his life, Barbara Joiner.
What started as an innocent offer to set up a stereo resulted in a whirlwind romance, culminating in their wedding on July 23, 1976. As a husband, Mike was eager to emulate the commitment and devotion he observed in the marriage of his parents’. Over the next eight years, Mike and Barbara built a life together in Garland, Tx, where they adopted their first dog, Brandy, bought their first home, and dreamed of a future with kids of their own. That dream was realized on July 17, 1984, when their first daughter, Kelly, was born in Dallas, TX, and again on April 16, 1986, with the birth of their other daughter, Lindsey.
As a father, Mike was committed to building relationships with his children and making memories in the most unlikely of places. Be it the Lone Star Buckhorn Hall of Horns, the caverns on the outskirts of Austin, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, the Budweiser Brewery, Andy Williams’ Moon River Theater, Big Cedar Lodge, and the San Jacinto Monument. He worked extra jobs on nights and weekends, installed half a dozen sprinkler systems, and took on other odd plumbing jobs to pay for his family to go to Disney World, not once, but three times, the last trip being in the fall of 2011. Mike loved a good road trip, and even more when all things that could go wrong, did. After Mike was able to purchase his first boat, a vessel he easily dubbed “Danny Boy”, an homage to his favorite song of the same name, all weekends were spent on the water exploring the reservoir, and soaking up every bit of what lake life had to offer. As Mike’s daughters grew up and took on different interests and activities, Mike could always be found under the Friday night lights watching Kelly perform with her drill team or on the sidelines of whatever sport Lindsey had decided to try that season. He never missed a dance recital, a performance, a competition, or any other opportunity he had to see his children do the things they loved. Once his daughters graduated high school and moved on to college, his commitment to showing up to and for them never waned. Be it parents’ weekend, ring dunks, Aggie football, a best friend’s surprise engagement, move-in day at the dorm, numerous moves to different residences, or just a chance to “pass through” on his way to or from somewhere else, Mike showed up. He never, ever stopped showing up. After college, new jobs or homes, holidays, heartbreaks, victories, and defeats, Mike was always there to support his daughters.
Mike was a master plumber by trade, and spent the first part of his career as a tradesman before starting his own business, Coyne Plumbing Company. He and Barbara operated that business until just before the birth of their first daughter. He took a job in the facilities department at Bishop Lynch High School and went on to lead that department for the next 20 years. He ended his career exactly where he started- as a tradesman- training other up-and-coming plumbers the tricks of the trade.
Well before and certainly after his retirement, Mike proudly served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. He started as a novice member of the local flotilla on Lake Ray Hubbard, and over the next two decades, rose through the ranks as a flotilla commander, division commander, and at the time of his death, was serving as the 8th Coastal Region Chief of Staff under beloved Commodore and friend, Pat Feighery. During his time in the Auxiliary, Mike made many friends, achieved and broke many records, was repeatedly commended for his service, and was successful in accumulating the world’s largest collection of USCG emblazoned objects and artifacts. A garden gnome, toilet paper, bottle of champagne, 45 watches and Swiss Army knives, countless hats and t-shirts, innumerable model ships and aircraft, beach towels, pillows and blankets, salt’n’pepper shakers, and even boxers he would never wear– you name it, he had it, and it had the United States Coast Guard logo on it. Mike made sure that his love of the Coast Guard was as obvious to those on the outside as it was personal to him on the inside. His service to his country via the Auxiliary is the work that unequivocally mattered the most to him in his lifetime.
Without question, the role that mattered the most to Mike in his years post retirement and into his twilight was that of Pappoo– grandfather to his four grandchildren; twins Owen and McKenna from Kelly and husband Mason, and Avery and Colton from Lindsey and her husband Ted. Precisely as he was a father, he was a grandfather– ever present, ever available, and unfailingly devoted to the babies of his babies. He donated to every fundraiser, attended every school event, picked up and babysat in instances of illness, and was insistent about showing up for all vaccination appointments for all four kids. He delighted in their messes and misadventures; their imaginations and their questions; their wonder and their love. He wanted nothing more than to spend every spare minute he had in the presence of the family he built, and his last earthly concern was of their health and safety over his own.
It is impossible to commit the life of a man like Mike Coyne to words or pages. He lived and loved as big as the state he called home. His greatest joys were simultaneously the things he considered his greatest accomplishments: his beloved bride, his marriage, his two daughters, his four grandchildren, and his service to his country. The largeness of Mike’s presence and stature could only be eclipsed by the immense legacy he leaves behind in the woman, family, and land that he loved.
Mike is survived by his beloved wife: Barbara Coyne of Mesquite, TX; daughters: Kelly Cornelius and husband Mason of Fate, TX, and Lindsey Armet and husband Ted of Rockwall, TX; siblings: Judy Coyne of Brownsville, TX, Rita Coyne of Austin, TX, Mary Coyne of Austin, TX, and John Coyne of Arlington, TX; and four grandchildren: Owen, McKenna, Avery and Colton. He was preceded in death by his parents: John and Dorothy Coyne; and sisters: Colleen, Patricia and Kathy.
A celebration of Mike’s life will be held at 1:00pm, Friday, September 10, 2021, at First United Methodist Church, 1200 E. Yellow Jacket Lane, Rockwall.
