To many, a dusty game of Monopoly offered at a garage sale might look like a throwaway, something that had outlived its usefulness. But to Frank Coyne, it was a way to connect to and support our troops.
Coyne was an avid garage sale devotee with a twist. For years, he spent weekends on the hunt for supplies for Project Mail Call, a support-the-troops effort operated by his church, Mount Bethel United Methodist, said longtime friend and fellow church member Ed Ettel. Coyne and his wife, Deborah, would scour local garage sales for sports equipment, board games, movies on DVDs, sheets, towels, pillows, blankets and other supplies.
Then, they’d carefully pack up the gifts and include a personal note of support for the soldiers in harm’s way. Many times, a sincere thank-you note would arrive days or weeks later from overseas.
“Being a veteran himself, he understood what it means when you’re overseas and you receive a letter from someone, much less a care box from someone you don’t know,” said Ettel. “Mail call is a very precious time, he knew. When you’re sitting there with nothing much to do and it’s announced, everybody perks up.”
Frank Coyne Jr., 69, of Marietta died Dec. 7 from complications of heart surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. A memorial service was held Friday at Mount Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta.
Coyne grew up in Buckhead and graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in 1966. He learned the value of mail from home during a stint in Vietnam, where he became a captain in the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army and was awarded a Bronze Star.
Coyne excelled at mastering challenges and solving problems both personally and professionally, said daughter Becky Carspecken.
“He liked to figure out how things worked, so he became a master electrician and plumber, even though he didn’t need them in his trade. But he wanted to do things right, so he took the courses and got certified in both areas,” Carspecken said.
In addition, Coyne also obtained professional engineer and HVAC certification in five states.
During a 40-year career in mechanical engineering, Coyne held a number of positions. His longest stint was with a firm called Carrier Distributing, designing HVAC systems for large buildings. That ability to tackle proposed projects and puzzle out details and workable solutions extended to his personal life, Carspecken said.
After her parents divorced, and Coyne married again, both sets of children would go back and forth between parents, Carspecken said, which proved stressful. Her father’s solution: bring everybody together for all the major holidays, instead of each set of children alternating with their parents.
“He also liked corny jokes and practical jokes,” Carspecken said. Family members recalled one instance of his zany sense of humor: a 1971 birth announcement heralding the arrival of son Travis described him as “A 1971 model runabout, standard equipment, with accessories, 7 pounds, 7 ounces with a 20-and-one-half inch wheel base.”
Coyne was an avid woodworker, building cabinets and home items galore. Camping and tennis were other passions. He loved the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, family members said, and was delighted when they returned the love by beating the University of Georgia.
On weekends, he tooled around on his beloved lawn tractor, a routine he continued until a month and a half before his death. And his weekend car wash routine was legendary and finely honed: Any car that found its way into his driveway that day got the full royal treatment.
Even as he weakened, said Ettel, Coyne continued to make the rounds of garage sales, thoroughly scanning Craigslist, then plotting his day. He also donated his Saturday finds to such groups as Quilting for Christ and MUST Ministries. And he stayed involved with local veterans’ groups.
“He was just a warm and welcoming person,” said Carspecken. “ My friends said he always had a smile for them. And he was always someone you could go to if you had a problem or needed help.”
Coyne is survived by his wife, a sister, six children and stepchildren, and four grandchildren.
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