Kevin Patrick Coyne of Eureka passed away on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Though taken from us too soon, Kevin lived a robust life for 73 years.

Kevin was born on February, 27,1950 in Bethesda, Maryland to Raymond and Margaret Coyne. With three older sisters and dozens of cousins, there was rarely a dull moment when the family gathered. Kevin’s father, Raymond, was in the US Marine Corps and by the time Kevin was six, they moved to Ray’s new station in San Diego. After a brief stint in San Diego, the Coyne family moved to the Bay Area where Ray retired from the Marines and taught law at the University of San Francisco. Burlingame was where the Coynes put down roots and where Kevin would grow up and always consider his home, and where their younger sister, Kelly, was born.

Kevin graduated from Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, where he excelled in athletics, mainly baseball. He went on to graduate from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While at Cal, Kevin dove deep into music, playing in regional bands. He could often be found playing his saxophone around the Bay Area as a vagabond type of busker, and of course, cheering on his beloved Giants.

Kevin met and married Sally Coyne in 1978. They welcomed their son, Brendan, in 1982 and their daughter, Natalie, in 1984. The Coyne crew eventually moved to the Midwest and settled in Columbia, Missouri. Once their children had gone to college, Kevin and Sally moved to Humboldt County to enjoy an active life where the redwoods meet the Pacific. Kevin was a woodworker by hobby and even made wooden sea kayaks that he and Sally used in Humboldt, Baja, and Vancouver Island. A lover of the outdoors, Kevin found such peace in the beauty of the North Coast.

In January of 2020, Kevin became the beamingly proud grandfather to Natalie’s son, Quinn Elliott. The profound joy he had for Quinn was so tender, so pure. Quinn will miss his “Anpa.”

Kevin is preceded in death by his father, Raymond, mother, Margaret, and sister, Kelly. He is survived by Sally, his son, Brendan, his daughter, Natalie, his grandson, Quinn, his sister, Meg, his sister, Betsy, and his sister, Kathy. Kevin is also survived by many nieces and nephews, who miss him dearly, and many friends. A Humboldt service will be planned for early August.

We’ll all miss you, Daddy. As we always said when I was a little girl, I know you loved me more than fishing, and I’ll always love you more than strawberries.

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