Louis J. Coyle

Louis  Coyle, 84, of Lehigh, Kansas, passed away on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, near York, Nebraska.

Louis was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, on February 8, 1938, to James and Lola Coyle. Louis was the third of four children.

Louis grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri, and joined the United States Air Force in 1957 and served for 4 years, until 1961.

Louis met Ruth (Amdahl) Coyle in 1981, they expanded and joined their families. They enjoyed raising their children in Loveland, Colorado; and later, raising their grandchildren, Caleb and Shian Halsted, in Lindsborg and Lehigh, Kansas.

Louis and Ruths’ children are Cynthia Coyle of Canton, Kansas, Jay (Tammy) Halsted of Greeley, Colorado, Mark (Sarah) Coyle of Fort Collins, Colorado, Shawn Halsted of Hildreth, Nebraska, and Adam Halsted of Grand Junction, Colorado. Louis has numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews; throughout Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Florida, Georgia and beyond.

Louis loved fishing, camping, hunting and being outdoors in general. He enjoyed riding motorcycles and 4-wheeling in the mountains. He enjoyed reminiscing and describing his adventures to anyone that would listen, (“if you don’t believe me, ask me”). He was a skilled horseman from his teenage years and continued to keep and work with horses until he was nearly forty. He liked to work with his hands and enjoyed making beautiful wood pieces with his scroll saw in his free time. He was a life-long student and believed you could (and should) learn something new every day. He loved studying history and was a Civil War History buff. He was a true Denver Broncos fan (just short of the tattoo), through good and bad, and tried not to hold it against you if you weren’t.

He often told stories about his military service, especially about kicking the screaming chickens out of the plane. He always had a wonderful sense of humor. You weren’t a stranger for very long after meeting Louis, you became friends. He was willing to help anyone out in any way he could. Louis was a wonderful man and even better father.

Louis was an excellent career aviation machinist and worked in the industry for over 40 years, which included Boeing, Beech Aircraft, Continental and Lockheed Martin. He was involved with many interesting projects, including Apollo, Space Shuttle and Titan Missile. Within his careers, he also was a caregiver for multiple disabled adults, was the Fire Chief for his local volunteer fire department, a crosswalk guard at the neighborhood bus stop, and most recently a mold production worker at Central Plastics, for the past 7 years. He continued to work up to his last day and wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Louis is preceded in death by his brothers, Robert and Richard and sister, Anne, half-siblings, Billy, Milton and Mildred, wife, Ruth, daughter-in-law, Michelle Halsted and grandson, Peyton Halsted.

Funeral services will be held at Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 N. Chestnut, McPherson, Kansas, on Friday, January 6, 2023, at 10:00am. A reception will follow at the McPherson Community Center.  To view a live stream broadcast of the service, please click on the following link: https://evt.live/memorial-service-for-louis-j-coyle

A memorial will take place at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado, at 2:00 PM on Friday, April 28, 2023, where Louis will be inurned with his late wife, Ruth.

Memorial donations may be given to Journeys Inc. Mental Health Services (Emporia, Kansas) in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 N. Chestnut, McPherson, Kansas 67460.