Roy S. Coutinho

Roy S. Coutinho, 78, of West Shokan, NY, passed away on Monday, January 29, 2024 at Ivy Lodge in Saugerties, NY. He was born on August 15, 1945 in Hempstead, NY, son of the late John and Eleanor (Burkarth) Coutinho.

 Roy married to Judith (Kain) Coutinho in 1969 in San Diego, CA.

Roy graduated from Columbia School of Engineering in 1967 and was immediately commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserved.  He served two tours in the Western Pacific: on the USS Pritchett, DD561, and as a Team Leader for Beach Jumpers Unit, both home-ported in San Diego. 

Roy earned a Masters in Bio-Medical Electrical Engineering from University of Pennsylvania in 1969 and applied it at Phillips Medical Systems, Inc., and EMI Medical, working on the first CAT scanners built in the US. His work with EMI took the whole family to England for almost a year.  Roy went on to RCA to work on the mastering system for Select-a-Vision Video Disks, an ancestor to DVDs, then Ransburg Electrostatic Paint Systems. At AT&T in Indianapolis, he received patents for an electronic security system and a video calling system that ran on phone lines decades before cellphone video calling.   His earned his last patent at Unwired Technology for improvements to in-car wireless headphones used for backseat TVs.  
 
Roy’s passion for all things electrical and electronic started early.  He earned his first amateur radio license while in grade school and his profession broadcast license when he was a Columbia student working at the student radio station, WKCR in NYC.  He earned his Advanced License (top level) after retiring.  
 
Roy loved being outdoors, gained from his visits to his grandparents’ boarding house in Big Indian, NY – The Catskill Mountain Lake House, and from his years in Boy Scouts.  BS Camp Wauwepex was one of his favorite places on Long Island, as a camper, Order of the Arrow initiate, and as instructor on the rifle range.   His interest in Scouting continued as an adult, most recently serving as an adult member of the Rip Van Winkle Council serving Olive Township troops.

Roy’s other volunteer activities include American Legion Post 1627 (Shokan, NY), Jaycees (Connecticut), “Do Dad” with Hoosier Capital Girl Scout Council (Indiana), downhill ski Guide for the Indiana Blind School, and Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Kingston, NY).  The ManKind Project, as men’s organization, was an enduring passion for four decades.   It was there he developed a passion for hand-drumming.  Other hobbies included photography, sail-boating, downhill skiing, sound engineering for his daughters’ medieval dance band, Musica Subterranea and Native American drumming.   Roy also served at several week-long Native American ceremonies called Sundances, as a Fire Keeper.  

Of all of Roy’s passions and interests, his favorite and most important was as Dad.   

Roy is survived by his wife Judy Coutinho of West Shokan, NY, his daughters Kathi Coutinho, Lara Coutinho-Dean (Scott Dean), his brother Alan (Meg), nephews Mike (Amy), Joe (Christa) and Jim (Andrea) Coutinho, numerous grand-nephews and grand-nieces, and several beloved cousins.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401, where family and friends may visit on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 4pm to 6pm with the funeral service taking place at 6pm.    

For those who wish, contributions in Roy’s memory may be made to ManKind Project, National Headquarters (www.mkpusa.org), The Catskill Center (local environmental 501c3 -  https://catskillcenter.org/donate) or to the American Indian College Fund (www.collegefund.org/how-to-help/).

A tribute for Roy can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family.