Dwane Lee Coons

Dwane Lee "The Dude" Coons, 77, of Martinsville, and formerly of North Salem, left this world on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, after a long battle with cancer. He was born in Lebanon, IN, on December 10, 1948, to the late William "Jack" and Eleanor E. (Tansel) Coons.

Growing up in North Salem, Dwane's father owned a sawmill and used his draft horses to pull logs out of the woods. His love of animals was instilled in him from a young age, and he worked for a local veterinarian clinic from the tender young age of twelve. Strikingly handsome from a young age, he was a clothing model for LS Ayres. After graduating with the class of 1966 from North Salem High School, he continued to care for animals until he was drafted in the United States Army where he was a part of the first 144th Calvary in Vietnam. A true American hero, Dwane earned a purple heart, the bronze star, and commendation of Valor. While deployed, he rescued a very young puppy from the side of the road, nursed her back to life, while utilizing the skills he learned from the clinic. He named her Sloop-John-B, and she became the camp's guard dog, sitting atop the tanks at night. He also befriended a monkey he named Nancy. Dwane didn't just love animals; he had a special bond with them.

Upon his discharge, Dwane entered trade school to become a gifted electrician. He originally was a third owner of Electrical Mechanical Company, but he decided to switch gears and joined the IBEW Local 481 working for Barth Electric Company, where he remained a valued employee until his retirement in 2008.

A devoted father, Dwane and his two sons enjoyed riding four-wheelers, taking long hikes, and vacationing in parks where they wandered through Carlsbad and Mammoth caves. He was known to be the grill master, regularly hosting barbeques for family and friends. He loved cruising on his Harley Davidson Sportster, frequenting car shows, owned several corvettes throughout the years (he totaled three of them), and reveled in old classic toys, namely pedal cars and tractors. His yard was meticulously maintained, and he mowed twice a week on his old Ford 3000 tractor. Left-handed, Dwane did everything backwards but still managed to tackle any task he was faced with. Cantankerous at times, he loved listening to Sell & Swap Shop on WCBK, could cut a rug with the best of them, and had a smile that could light up a room. Dwane the Dude, aka, old fart, will be forever missed.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved dog, Snowball.

Dwane leaves behind his two sons, David Coons (Brittani) of Aurora, CO, and Eric Coons (Dinh Huynh) of Paige, TX; brother, Darrell Coons (Dorothy) of North Salem; divorced widow, Sharon (Coons) Hart of Monrovia; and grandson, Deiter Lee Coons of Aurora, CO.

Funeral and Cremation Arrangements have been entrusted to Light Memorial & Funeral Chapel in Monrovia. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026, from 4:00pm until 7:00 pm at the funeral home, with Military Honors beginning at 5:00pm. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will begin at 7:00pm, and Pastor Keenan Steinway will officiate, and Dwayne will be inurned in Fairview Cemetery in North Salem in the spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Morgan County Humane Society online by clicking https://www.mchumanesoc.org/, or by mail to 690 W Mitchell Ave, Martinsville, IN 46151, and envelopes will be provided during services. To share a favorite story, send an online condolence to the family, or light a candle in his memory, please visit his tribute page at www.lightmemorial.com.