Mary Y. Coyne

It is with profound sadness that the daughters of Mary Y Coyne (95 years old) announce the passing of their beloved mother. Mary (nee Yaeko Fujii), the daughter of Kenzo and Yone Shimura Fujii, was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1927 and was the widow of Frederick Eugene Coyne, III.

In Mary’s early life in Japan Mary was a third-grade teacher, a nanny, and a technician after World War Two. Mary first arrived in America with her husband and two elder daughters (Kathy and Helen) in June 1956 starting a new life in California. By the time the Coyne family moved to Utah, they had five daughters and Mary attended Weber College (now Weber State University) in Ogden, Utah which was a trade school in the 1960s and she studied Electronics Technology. She worked for the USAF Civil Service at PMEL (Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) in Fairborn, Ohio. She retired in 1987. Mary also was a member of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary and the Fraternal Order of Eagles for many years.

She spent the next 20 years visiting her children and her grandchildren and kept her family close. She also had a few trips back to Japan to visit her brother Chojiro Fujii and his family. Mary enjoyed going to church at Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church. She also enjoyed going to places with her friends like bingo or going to lunch on many occasions. She was very active in the Senior Citizens Center in Fairborn and attended different events there at least three times a week which included leading the exercise classes while she was still active.

Besides her late husband, parents and siblings, she was predeceased by her grandson, Frederick Eugene (Ricky) Gigandet of Raleigh, North Carolina and her son in-law, David Ray Blankenship of Fairborn, Ohio.

She leaves behind five daughters:  Kathy Calhoun of Copperas Cove, Texas; Helen (Samara) Blankenship of Fairborn, Ohio; Patti Gigandet of Fairborn, Ohio; Mary (Jeff) Cox of Lincolnton, North Carolina; and Frances Coyne of Fairborn, Ohio. She is also survived by 10 adult grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. She leaves many extended family members that may be too many to count. She also leaves two nephews, Shoichi Fujii and Katsumi Fujii and their children, all of Japan as well as her sister in-law Winslow (Winnie) Reitnouer of California.

May Mary’s eternal light shine on everyone who loves her.

A visitation will be held on Sunday April 30, 2023 from 2:00 until 4:00 P.M. at the Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, 422 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd., Fairborn.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Mary, Help of Christians Church on Monday May 1, 2023 at 10:30 A.M., Father Ambrose Dobrozsi, Celebrant.  Burial will follow at Byron Cemetery.  If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Mary, Help of Christians Church.