By Milton Times Staff
6/25/09
Marine Corps and Iraqi War veteran Patrick Coughlin was remembered Tuesday as a young man who loved his God, his family and friends, and his country.
In one of the largest funerals the town has seen, mourners packed St. Agatha Church on June 23 to say goodbye to Coughlin, 21, who died after falling at a Quincy quarry June 19.
More than 1,000 people filled the main church during the service, while more than 250 people watched on simulcast downstairs and another 100 watched the broadcast from the gym at St. Agatha School next door.
The Rev. Peter Casey, pastor of St. Agatha and a close family friend, recalled how Coughlin, who was baptized, made his First Communion and was confirmed at the church, always entered “with a big wave and a wonderful smile.
“Pat was no stranger to this place,” he said. “He talked with God often … He had a big heart. He touched the lives of many with his goodness and his kindness.”
Casey also said Coughlin was very proud of his service in Iraq, adding that he carried with him a Psalm 91 scarf during his seven-month tour.
“He couldn’t wait to be a Marine,” said Casey. “He was proud that he had accomplished this goal in his life.”
Before the congregation dispersed, Leo Coppens, Coughlin’s uncle and a Quincy police detective, thanked the St. Agatha staff and all those in attendance, especially the large Marine Corps contingent, for their support. He also expressed gratitude toward all of the law enforcement agencies who investigated the accident.
To his nephew’s friends, he said, “We want you to celebrate Patrick’s life by reaching a hand out to a friend in need. Help those less fortunate than yourselves. Celebrate Pat’s life by making this world a better place. Please do not raise a drink to Patrick. Instead, raise your voice and make a positive change … and make the country he loved more beautiful than it already is.”
Coughlin, a lance corporal, was buried with full military honors.
During Coughlin’s wake Monday evening, thousands of mourners circled an entire block of East Milton Square, lining up for hours in the rain, to enter the Alfred D. Thomas Funeral Home.
Dedicated friends held a candlelight vigil at Cunningham Park on the night of his death, as dozens of his peers showed up to give one last salute to the buddy they called “Nudge.”
Friends and family members say Coughlin will be remembered for his fun-loving, outgoing personality, but was also held in respect for his decision to serve his country.
A proud “East Side” resident, through and through, he bonded with his fellow pals from his neighborhood. During his years at Collicot Elementary School, Pierce Middle School and St. Agatha School, more people gravitated toward his happy-go-lucky attitude and his infectious smile.
By the time he graduated from Milton High School in 2006, his expanded but tight-knit social circle was chock-full of faithful friends.
But hearing a higher calling while his friends prepared to head to college, Coughlin had other plans. While college was part of the picture, so was a desire to become a Marine.
“My brother was a Marine. I have others relatives who were Marines. It’s what I’ve always wanted,” one family friend remembered him as saying shortly after his decision to enlist in 2006.
His friends respected him and supported his decision, and held celebrations for him when he headed to Iraq last year, and upon his safe return this past Easter. He planned to return to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, for his sophomore year in the fall.
Those same buddies gathered closely together to pay tribute to a friend who truly was their hometown hero. According to one friend, Coughlin was a “social chameleon,” who brought people together from various backgrounds to form close bonds, thanks to him. He had a few that would be considered his “best” friends, but made all his friends feel special.
And they all agreed he was the kid with the “biggest heart in town.” They also agreed that what has made the grieving a little easier is the way the Coughlin family has dealt with the loss. “They are amazingly strong,” shared another friend.
The strength the Coughlin family finds is through faith, and the support from the St. Agatha Church community. Coughlin even sported a large tattoo, much to his mother’s chagrin, of hands holding rosary beads to demonstrate the power he received from prayer.
He held the respect and friendship of not only his peers; many local youngsters were captivated by his magnetic personality. Coughlin worked as a camp counselor at Wollaston Golf Course over many summers, where he was a kind of Pied Piper to the campers. The kids, mostly elementary school students, loved his playful style and looked up to him like a big brother. He was also a pen pal with students from Collicot Elementary School during his time on active duty in Iraq.
The accident that took Coughlin’s life happened last Friday during the early-morning hours. According to authorities, he slipped on the wet rocks at Fuller’s Quarry and hit his head on the way down into the cold water.
His friends, after a quick search, called 911 at 1:51 a.m. Coughlin’s body was recovered around 6:20 a.m. by police divers who used a special underwater camera.
“The story, as it’s known to us now, is one of four friends and this night of camaraderie … [and] having that night end in a night of tragedy,” said Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating during a press conference just hours after Coughlin’s death.