Tom Coggins, son of Mac and Sue Pace Coggins died November 1st after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was born August 29, 1947 in Hendersonville, N.C. He graduated from East Hendersonville High School in 1965. In April of 1966 he joined the USAF and served his country for 7 years, completing 2 tours of duty in the Vietnam conflict as a heavy equipment operator in the 820th Civil Engineering Squadron – ‘Red Horse’. The last duty station of Tom’s Air Force career was spent at Hill Airforce Base, Utah; there he fell in love with the ‘West’ and lived the next 30 years of his life in both Utah and Colorado.
Tom’s working career was spent as a long distance truck driver and a member of the Western Conference Teamsters Union. He served as shop steward in that time and tallied up four million accident free miles behind the wheel. He found the time to coach boy’s Babe Ruth League baseball and high school team rodeo competitions. He enjoyed the outdoors whether it was fishing, hunting or working in his yard but his one great passion was golf. He loved the game and the many friends and family members he spent time with on the course.
Most recently, Tom was Commander of the American Legion Post #55 in Winston-Salem, where he took a great interest in promoting the ‘Boys and Girls State’ program throughout the county. His association with the Legion brought him the opportunity to make many new and lasting friendships.
A favorite saying of Tom’s was, “You can always go first class you just can’t stay as long.” Tom lived his life first class and that may be why he couldn’t stay as long as we all would have liked.
Tom is survived by his wife Linda; sons, Tom (Shannon) Coggins of Colorado; Rod Coggins of Washington; Jason Kennedy of Utah; daughter, Tracey Kennedy of North Carolina; his mother Sue and sister Doris Louise (Barry) LaFevre of North Carolina; brother in law Bob O’Neill of Utah; a very special cousin/brother George (Madeline) Brank of North Carolina; and his favorite step brother Cary (Charlotte) Kiser of Tennessee.
Grandchildren: Kennedy Coggins, Abbey Coggins, Brenden Kennedy
Great grandchildren: Khryzna, Kaelan and Keiran Coggins
Many nieces and nephews, who all found a special place in Tom’s heart,
and a host of American Legion brothers.
Friends and family will gather to celebrate Tom’s life as he had requested, with an old fashioned Irish wake.
God speed Tom, you were truly one of a kind!
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