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newlenoxpatriot.com NEWS
the New Lenox Patriot | April 6, 2017 | 7
Paul (bottom left) with his brothers and father —
(clockwise from Paul) Larry, Jack, elder Paul, Steve and
David. Photo Submitted
leaned in and whispered, “You
are the best of us” — a phrase
echoed by the brothers over
the final two weeks. Paul, who
strained to speak and move,
mustered the strength to whisper
back:
“The bar was low.”
The wedding day was
greeted with an unfettered
sun, accompanied by a constant
and fresh breeze, helping
temperatures ideally hang in
the mid-70s.
The event was a united effort
of unconditional love.
Family friend Jean Mueller
completed a ceremony backdrop
in less than two days.
Wilson’s parents, Brian and
Cathy, drove in from Bloomington,
Ind. Kelly Coughlin,
Paul’s niece-in-law, was the
day’s photographer. Patrick
The Coughlins — (left to right) Chris, Emmy, Becky, Paul,
Peg, Tara and Ben — at Becky’s wedding in 2014. Photo by
Green Street Photo
Coughlin, Paul’s nephew, officiated
the ceremony. Sisters
Emmy and Becky performed
the readings. Paul, as most
best men do, held the rings.
The ceremony was short
and sweet. After the pronouncement
of the couple,
Chris took the time to thank
all involved parties for the
time, effort and care that went
into the special day, praising
his wife for “the most selfless
act I’ve ever known” and
calling his siblings his “pillars
of strength,” before, with
his new wife, stepping to his
mother and father.
“Without you guys,” Chris
told them through tears, “I
would never be in the position
I am here today, and Dad, I
know you can hear me, we did
it. Sarah and I are married, and
we both love you so much.
“These tears you are hearing,
they are not tears of sadness;
they are tears for all the
memories we have together,
all the laughs. I just want to
thank you for fighting this
last week and being here and
being with us. It means absolutely
everything.”
As “The Wedding Song,”
by Paul Stookey, a song featured
at Paul and Peg’s wedding
nearly 40 years ago,
played, the family gathered
at Paul’s bedside to celebrate
once more with their courageous
patriarch.
To end the event, Peg rose
and presented a traditional
Irish blessing:
“May the road rise up to
meet you/May the wind always
be at your back/May
the sun shine warm upon your
face,/and rains fall soft upon
your fields./And until we meet
again,/May God hold you in
the palm of His hand.”
Paul Gerard Coughlin, 60,
died on March 25, 2017, one
day after fulfilling the duties
of best man at his oldest son’s
wedding.
Visitation services were
presented on March 29 by
Kurtz Memorial Chapel in
New Lenox, and a funeral
Mass was held March 30 at
St. Jude Parish, also in New
Lenox. In lieu of flowers, the
family would appreciate donations
to Misericordia Heart
of Mercy, 6300 N. Ridge
Ave., Chicago, IL 60660.
During the services, friends
and family grieved together,
while sharing stories of how
Paul always inspired and impressed
them, but most of all,
how he made them smile.
And even in death, Paul
wasn’t through doing just that.
As it came time to carry
Paul’s casket, the pallbearers
(Paul’s eight nephews) picked
up their white gloves to find a
note inside from their beloved
uncle. It read, “Thank you for
being my ‘Paul’-bearer.
“With love from your Uncle
Paul.”
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