Joseph J. Coyle

funeral director and president, Coyle Funeral Home, Toledo, Ohio, died March 7, 2022, at age 77.

A high school all-city football player, he graduated from Xavier University and lead the school to an 8-2 record. Coyle was recruited for the NFL by the Dallas Cowboys, but as an ROTC graduate, he was committed to serving his country as a U.S. Army artillery lieutenant.

Coyle graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and joined the family business as the fourth generation. He was a founding member of Trust 100 in Ohio, a preplanning organization. He became president of Coyle Funeral Home and was recently awarded his 50-year honor at the Ohio Funeral Directors Convention. His daughter, Megan, carries on the family business as the fifth generation.

Coyle was a member of Maumee Rotary and served as president and a foundation board member, receiving two Paul Harris awards. While president of the Bowsher High School PTO, he earned the Silver Slate Award from the Toledo Board of Education.

He was president of the Northwest Ohio Funeral Directors Association and Toledo Alumni of Xavier University; a trustee with the Medical College of Ohio Foundation and Hospice of NW Ohio; and board chairman of the Elizabeth Zepf Center. Coyle also served on the board of the University of Toledo Family Business Center and the Dove Fund, which provides humanitarian and development assistance to areas in Vietnam.

He is survived by wife Bonnie; children Megan, Katie and Jeremiah; three grandchildren; brothers John and Ned; and sister Kitty.