PARENTS: ​Patrick​ ​and​ ​Florence​ ​Coyne

MARRIAGE: Opal​ ​Irene​ ​Tanner
DATE:​ ​October​ ​22,​ ​1945

MILITARY: US AIR FORCE

NOTICE: James H. Coyne, 93, of West Richland, died Sept. 15 at his home. He was born in Venita, Okla., and lived in the Tri-City area since 1946. He was a retired instrument technician at Hanford. Einan’s at Sunset in Richland is in charge of the arrangements.

OBITUARY: James​ ​H​ ​Coyne

James​ ​(Jim)​ ​93​ ​of​ ​West​ ​Richland​ ​WA​ ​passed​ ​on​ ​to​ ​be​ ​with​ ​his​ ​Lord​ ​and​ ​Savior​ ​Friday​ ​Sept​ ​15, 2017. Jim​ ​was​ ​surrounded​ ​by​ ​his​ ​loving​ ​family​ ​and​ ​sweetheart​ ​Opal.​ ​In​ ​his​ ​final​ ​hours​ ​he​ ​called​ ​for Opal,​ ​looking​ ​lovingly​ ​into​ ​her​ ​eyes​ ​he​ ​said​ ​“I​ ​Love​ ​you”.​ ​Jim​ ​requested​ ​the​ ​church​ ​to​ ​come​ ​to the​ ​house​ ​for​ ​prayer​ ​and​ ​communion​ ​for​ ​several​ ​weeks​ ​before​ ​the​ ​end. ​ ​​ ​​ ​​

​ ​He​ ​was​ ​born​ ​in​ ​Vinita,​ ​OK.​ ​Jan​ ​6,​ ​1924.​ ​The​ ​only​ ​child​ ​of​ ​Patrick​ ​and​ ​Florence​ ​Coyne,​ ​he grew​ ​up​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Oklahoma​ ​family​ ​homestead​ ​and​ ​cattle​ ​ranch.​

​After​ ​graduating​ ​from​ ​Vinita​ ​High School​ ​he​ ​enlisted​ ​in​ ​US​ ​Air​ ​Force​ ​and​ ​served​ ​as​ ​a​ ​flight​ ​engineer​ ​on​the B29​ ​bomber.​ ​He​ ​was proud​ ​of​ ​those​ ​days​ ​and​ ​talked​ ​of​ ​it​ ​often. ​

​After​ ​his​ ​time​ ​in​ ​the​ ​service​ ​of​ ​his​ ​country,​ ​he​ ​married​ ​his​ ​sweetheart​ ​the​ ​love​ ​of​ ​his​ ​life, Opal​ ​Irene​ ​Tanner,​ ​October​ ​22,​ ​1945.​ ​​ ​They​ ​shared​ ​71​ ​wonderful​ ​years​ ​together​ ​and​ ​raised​ ​a family​ ​of​ ​five​ ​boys.​ ​​ ​Shortly​ ​after​ ​their​ ​marriage​ ​they​ ​moved​ ​to​ ​Richland​ ​and​ ​Jim​ ​started​ ​his career​ ​with the Hanford​ ​Patrol, and then moved into the craft as an Instrument Technician mainly working at​ ​the​ ​100N​ ​Reactor.​ ​​ ​25​ ​years​ ​later,​ ​he​ ​took​ ​jobs​ ​in​ ​Corvallis, OR,​ ​and​ ​Rock​ ​Springs,​ ​WY,​ ​then​ ​returned​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Tri-Cities​ ​and​ ​finished​ ​his​ ​career​ ​at​ ​age​ ​65​ ​at Hanford. ​

Jim​ ​was​ ​a​ ​man​ ​of​ ​God​ ​with​ ​a​ ​commitment​ ​to​ ​church​ ​and​ ​going​ ​to​ ​morning​ ​mass​ ​for​ ​many years.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​a​ ​man​ ​of​ ​principles,​ ​honesty,​ ​commitment​ ​to​ ​family​ ​and​ ​many​ ​friends.​ ​His handshake​ ​was​ ​his​ ​bond,​ ​he​ ​loved​ ​to​ ​laugh,​ ​joke,​ ​poke​ ​fun,​ ​and​ ​goof​ ​around.​ ​​

​He​ ​was​ ​an athlete​ ​and​ ​believed​ ​in​ ​staying​ ​in​ ​shape​ ​walking​ ​and​ ​riding​ ​his​ ​bicycle​ ​for​ ​miles​ ​along​ ​the Columbia​ ​River,​ ​He​ ​would​ ​jump​ ​and​ ​click​ ​his​ ​heels​ ​together​ ​well​ ​into​ ​his​ ​seventies.​ ​He​ ​loved sports,​ ​especially​ ​watching​ ​his​ ​sons​ ​compete.​ ​​ ​Baseball​ ​was​ ​his​ ​favorite.​ ​Jim​ ​and​ ​Opal​ ​never missed​ ​a​ ​Seattle​ ​Mariners​ ​game​ ​on​ ​TV.​ ​

He​ ​loved​ ​his​ ​sweets​ ​and​ ​was​ ​known​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​stash​ ​of chocolate​ ​chip​ ​cookies​ ​somewhere.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​the​ ​guy​ ​that​ ​would​ ​stop​ ​and​ ​help​ ​strangers​ ​and make​ ​friends​ ​with​ ​them.​ ​Jim​ ​loved​ ​his​ ​family,​ ​and​ ​especially​ ​enjoyed​ ​spending​ ​time​ ​with​ ​them outdoors,​ ​camping,​ ​hunting,​ ​and​ ​fishing.​ ​​ ​When​ ​deer​ ​and​ ​elk​ ​hunting​ ​season​ ​came​ ​around each​ ​year,​ ​all​ ​else​ ​became​ ​secondary.​ ​​ ​He​ ​continued​ ​going​ ​to​ ​elk​ ​camp​ ​with​ ​his​ ​boys​ ​and grandkids​ ​well​ ​into​ ​his​ ​eighties.​ ​Jim​ ​remained​ ​very​ ​active​ ​and​ ​only​ ​in​ ​the​ ​last​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​years began​ ​to​ ​slow​ ​down.

The​ ​family​ ​gatherings​ ​were​ ​very​ ​special​ ​to​ ​him.​ ​​ ​The​ ​parties​ ​were​ ​huge​ ​with​ ​all​ ​the​ ​kids​ ​and grandkids.​ ​​ ​The​ ​family​ ​wore​ ​out​ ​many​ ​decks​ ​of​ ​cards​ ​and​ ​several​ ​hand​ ​cranked​ ​ice​ ​cream makers.​ ​​ ​We​ ​learned​ ​many​ ​lessons​ ​from​ ​these​ ​family​ ​gatherings​ ​and​ ​produced​ ​many​ ​stories, much​ ​love​ ​and​ ​reminiscing​ ​over​ ​the​ ​years.

Jim​ ​is​ ​survived​ ​by​ ​his​ ​loving​ ​wife​ ​of​ ​71​ ​years,​ ​Opal​ ​(90),​ ​5​ ​Sons,​ ​17​ ​grandchildren,​ ​23​ ​great -grandchildren,​ ​and​ ​4​ ​great​ ​grandchildren​ ​on​ ​the​ ​way.

​ ​Jim’s​ ​Sons,​ ​Jim​ ​and​ ​wife​ ​Gail,​ ​Mike​ ​and wife​ ​Linda,​ ​Tom​ ​and​ ​partner​ ​Nancy,​ ​Bryan​ ​and​ ​wife​ ​Connie,​ ​and​ ​Joe​ ​who​ ​recently​ ​lost​ ​his​ ​wife Carolynn James​ ​was​ ​preceded​ ​in​ ​death​ ​by​ ​his​ ​parents,​ ​Patrick​ ​and​ ​Florence​ ​Coyne,​ ​great​ ​grandson Christian​ ​Coyne,​ ​and​ ​daughter​ ​in​ ​law​ ​Carolynn​ ​Coyne. ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​

​Visitation​ ​and​ ​viewing​ ​will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​Thursday​ ​September​ ​28​th​​ ​4:00pm​ ​–​ ​7:00pm​ ​at Einan’s ​at Sunset. Jim’s​ ​service​ ​and​ ​celebration​ ​of​ ​life​ ​will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​Friday​ ​September,​ ​29​th​​ ​at​ ​11AM​ ​at​ ​Christ​ ​the King​ ​Catholic​ ​Church​ ​in​ ​Richland,​ ​WA.​

​The​ ​graveside​ ​service​ ​and​ ​celebration​ ​of​ ​life​ ​reception will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​immediately​ ​afterwards​ ​at​ ​Sunset​ ​Memorial​ ​Gardens​ ​and​ ​Einan’s​ ​at Sunset​ ​in Richland,​ ​WA.​ ​

The​ ​family​ ​wishes​ ​to​ ​thank ​​Connie,​​ ​​their​ ​daughter-in-law,​​ ​​spent​​ ​​the​​ ​​last​​ ​​4​​ ​​years​​ ​​dedicating​​ ​​her​​ ​​time​​ ​​caring​​ ​​for​​ ​​them​​ ​​just​​ ​​like​ ​they​​ ​​were​​ ​​her​​ ​​own​ ​parents. This​​ ​​allowed​​ ​​them​​ ​​to​​ ​​stay​​ ​​at​​ ​​home.​​ ​​​​ ​​Charlotte​​ ​​filled​​ ​​in​​ ​​for​​ ​​Connie​ ​when​​ ​​needed.​​ ​​Jim​​ ​​loved​​ ​​having​ ​Charlotte.​​ ​​Not​​ ​​only​​ ​​was​​ ​​she​​ ​​a​​ ​​great​​ ​​cook​​ ​​, but​​ ​​we​​ ​​felt​​ ​​like​​ ​​she​ ​was​​ ​​part​​ ​​of​​ ​​the​​ ​​family.​ ​Home​​ ​​Instead:​​ ​​Nancy,​​ ​​Cassie,​​ ​​Tammie,​​ ​​Rae​ ​Lena,​​ ​​Joy​​ ​​and​​ ​​Kathie​​ ​​these​ ​five​​ ​​women​​ ​​were​​ ​​a​​ ​​huge​​ ​​asset​​ ​​to​ ​Jim’s​​ ​​care​​ ​​especially​​ ​​these​​ ​​last​​ ​​four​​ ​​months.​ ​Christ​ ​the​ ​King: Betsy​ ​for​ ​coming​ ​by​ ​on​ ​a​ ​weekly​ ​basis​ ​for​ ​that​ ​last​ ​several​ ​months.​ ​Chaplaincy​​ ​​Hospice:​ ​Yvonne,​​ ​​Victor:​​ ​​Thank​​ ​​you​​ ​​for​​ ​​your​​ ​​prayers​​ ​​and​​ ​​guidance​​ ​​during​​ ​​his​​ ​​final​​ ​​days

(Source: Published in Tri-City Herald on Sept. 24, 2017)

Cemetery Details:
Graveside Service @ Cemetery at Sunset