Richard Charles Coyle's Obituary
Richard Charles Coyle (Rick) passed away peacefully on November 11th, 2023 at the age of 68 after a long and heroic battle with cancer. He was born in Ogden, Utah on August 11th, 1955 to Charles and Barbara Coyle, the first of four children.
Rick graduated from Ogden High School in 1973. He later joined the U.S. Navy where he was trained as an Electrician’s Mate. In 1978, he and his first wife, Diane moved to Oregon and had a son, Richard James Coyle.
Rick continued to study the electrical trade, receiving three Associate’s degrees and a Master Electrician license. He and his son moved to Utah in 1984, eventually settling in a small house in Millcreek in 1988 where he lived until his passing on Veterans Day, 2023.
He was an irreplaceable and beloved member of his community where he was the local Water Master, handyman, storyteller, and kid at heart. He often refused payment for small jobs he did for his neighbors and was delighted by their happiness or the pies, jams and fresh homemade dinner they made for him.
Rick had a huge heart for animals and could speak their language. He loved observing and interacting with spiders, ants, birds and snakes. If you met Rick, you knew right away what a kind, gentle and loving human he was. And if you ever needed help, he would drop everything in an instant to rush to your service.
Rick is survived by his dog Bella, his son and daughter-in-law, Richard James and April, two grandchildren Koah and Kai, many nieces and nephews, and three siblings, James Patrick, Kathleen Denise, and Robert Bain. He loved all of them very much.
A kid at heart, Rick’s biggest love was children. He loved spending time with his nephews; Shane, Bobby, Lance, and Gage, and his nieces Kimberly, Payton, Nixon, Misty and Crystal. He was a cub scout leader in the late 80’s and early 90’s and he created treasured memories with the adventures he took the cubs on.
Rick had a lifelong passion for adventure and always sought new thrills. He loved to go surfing with his son in Oregon and play hide-and-seek-tag with his grandchildren. At home in Utah, he loved to ride motorcycles at Five Mile Pass or the Bountiful ‘B’ with his brother, Bob or go mountain biking or hiking with his dog, Bella. He often went on long road trips with his sister, Kathy, and loved exploring places like Yellowstone National Park with her. Rick always looked forward to visiting his brother Pat in California where they would go to the beach or stroll through San Diego.
Rick did all of this while battling cancer. He received a new liver in 2017 and he refused to give up on life. He participated in the Transplant Games of America and ran in 5K races. He never took a moment for granted and truly lived his life to its fullest. Even while his body was failing him in his final hours, his mind was sharp and his kind, gentle soul continued to touch those around him. Some of his last words were “thank you soooo much,” and “that is sooooo beautiful.” Rick’s optimism was infectious and he had a way of always finding the good no matter how bad a situation seemed.
To all of us, Rick was many things. He was the quirky, animated guy who marched to the beat of his own drum. He was the one always cheering you on, pushing you to accomplish more. He was the one you’d call when you needed help. He is an unforgettable inspiration and we all carry his legacy in our hearts and in our memories.
The zoom service will be posted to: emc2nd.com
What’s your fondest memory of Richard?
What’s a lesson you learned from Richard?
Share a story where Richard's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Richard you’ll never forget.
How did Richard make you smile?
