RONALD COUGHLIN

1936 - 2022

COUGHLIN--Ronald. To Be a New Yorker...Ronald Coughlin Dies at 86. Born on May 28, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York, Ronald Vincent Coughlin "Ron", died peacefully at home on October 28, 2022 surrounded by his family. A devoted Brooklyn Dodgers fan, turned New York Mets enthusiast, Ron had a lifetime love and passion for New York baseball. The New York baseball that happened across the East River and south into Brooklyn. Ron's father, Herbert Vincent Coughlin owned an agency that produced the Brooklyn Dodgers advertising and frequently took Ron to the ballgames at Ebbets Field. He also played a significant role in creating and marketing the pre-game show, Happy Felton's "Knothole Gang," which was broadcast live from Ebbets Field and encouraged young baseball players of Little League age, an inspiring mentality that Ron carried with him throughout his entire life as he mentored and coached his children and grandchildren right up until the very end of his life. Ron's devoted mother, Beatrice (Lawler) Coughlin, proudly claimed that her one and only child was named for the debonair actor, Ronald Colman. In 1939, Ron's family relocated to Freeport, Long Island where he played catcher on the Freeport High School varsity baseball team, a position he shared with his great- grandfather and grandfather, and one that he passed down to both of his sons, two of his grandsons and one of his granddaughters. A proud New Yorker, Ron often told stories to his children and grandchildren recalling his fond memories of the summers he spent working at Jones Beach donning a crisp, white uniform and where attention to detail was paramount, especially when Robert Moses was holding an inspection! Ron graduated from Colgate University in 1958 and was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity and the Economics Club. He later received a Master's Degree in Education. Ron's love of history, trivia and learning lead to his runner-up "victory" on Jeopardy! in 1967. One of his proudest accomplishments was his service as an Officer in the U.S. Navy. He served on the USS Skywatcher radar ship tracking low- flying aircraft. He completed multiple deployments between Florida and Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis and told stories of stormy seas and heightened tensions in the air and on the sea during his service. Following his service, Ron spent several decades in New York at the management consulting firm, Booz Allen & Hamilton retiring as a Partner in the New York office. Ron lived between Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights for over thirty years and had a deep love of New York City for all of his life. Later in life, Ron moved to Connecticut, living in both New Canaan and Rowayton. His love for animals was profound, and he was often seen driving around town in a Jeep with the head of one of his golden retrievers, Ollie, Franny or Ebbet happily hanging out of the rear window. At night, he loved to sing Irish folk songs and even surprised his sons by singing along with the famous Annette Griffin at Ashford Castle in Galway on a trip through Ireland. A life highlight was the week he spent at Mets fantasy camp where he proudly caught every inning of every game at age 65 coached by the likes of Jerry Grote and Duffy Dyer. He was awarded Most Valuable Player and notably got into a tussle with an opposing player over a close play at home. Most importantly, Ron was an endlessly loving and devoted father to his four children, and "PaPa" to his ten grandchildren. He spent countless hours cheering at his children's and grandchildren's various sporting events, including watching his daughter dance in over 50 performances of the Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker at the New York City Center in a single Winter. He is survived by the long-time love of his life, Linda Coughlin, who was by his side for his last seven years, together with his daughters Brooke Barquin and Emily Coughlin, and his sons Ronald Coughlin Jr. and John Coughlin and ten adoring grandchildren, Dylan, Van, Beatrice, Philip, Henry, Isabella, Lillian, Wilder, Nell and Amelia. A service celebrating his life will take place at 10:30am on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church at 111 Oenoke Ridge Road in New Canaan, Connecticut. In lieu of flowers or other sympathy gifts, the family requests donations in Ron's name to the Irish Arts Center in New York or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In Memory of Ron Coughlin, Sr. Memorial Sloan Kettering Donations