Francis Coyle

1926 - 2022

Francis Coyle
December 12, 1926 - September 14, 2022
Greensboro, North Carolina - Francis Joseph Coyle, 95, of Greensboro, NC, passed away peacefully September 14, 2022 after a short illness.
Francis was born December 12, 1926 in Detroit, MI, the first of six children of the late Patrick Andrew and Anne Sadon Coyle.
Francis served our country in the US Army as a paratrooper in Japan at the end of World War II. He went on to even greater service to our country volunteering throughout his life as a social activist working fervently to abolish war, racism, poverty, and other social ailments festering in our society. This work was his passion.
Francis married in Little Canada, MN, started a family in Wisconsin, and eventually moved to Athens, GA to further his education at UGA. He then moved to Asheville, NC where he taught physics and math at Biltmore College, which later became UNC-Asheville. In 1969, he was placed in charge of UNCA's fledgling Computer Science program, igniting his keen interest and then career in computer programming. Francis moved to Chapel Hill, NC in 1979 and eventually retired from Duke University as a Senior Program Analyst.
Married 69 years, Francis is survived by his loving wife and social activism co-conspirator, Marguerite Lunney Coyle. Together they sought to make this world a better place working with organizations such as the NAACP and Witness for Peace Southeast. One of Francis's proudest moments was receiving, along with Marguerite, the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chapter of the NAACP.
Francis is also survived by nine children, Eva Coyle, Joseph Coyle, Patrick Coyle (Frances), Francis "Larry" Coyle (Johnnie), Anne Burbridge, Mariette Coyle, Dorothy Coyle, Kathleen Coyle (Wade Wall), and Thomas Coyle (Heather). There are numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even one great, great grandson. He is also survived by sisters, Patricia Schaefer and Angele Coyle Smith, and several nieces and nephews.
Along with his parents, Francis was preceded in death by siblings, Robert Coyle and wife, Mary, Bernard Coyle and wife, Barbara, Gloria Durand, and brother-in-law, Earl Schaefer.
In his last act of service crowning a lifetime of giving, Francis donated his body to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. A celebration of Francis's life will take place at Friends Homes Guilford, 925 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 on November 12, 2022 at 2:30 pm in the Frye Hall Living Room.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your preferred charity in Francis's name.