Joan Barber Coyle

Mrs. Joan Barber Coyle, age 83, of Jefferson City, TN died after a brief illness on Sunday, May. 18, 2014 at Turkey Creek Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. Born in Jackson, TN on September 9, 1930, Joan was the daughter of the late Rufus Aaron Barber and Exie Kazell Higgins Barber. Joan grew up in a Depression era family, where love and hard work abounded in the absence of material wealth. Her father, Rufus, labored his way from apprentice to Chief Foreman and Materials Joining Engineer of Kirby-Williams Steel Works where he helped design, fabricate and construct every bridge along Interstate 40 west of Jackson to the Mississippi River. During World War II, Joan's mother, Exie, operated a construction crane at Williams Steel, which built 3,000 pontoons to be used for bridges, docks and torpedo net floats to support the U.S. war effort in Europe and Asia. From her early childhood, this industrious, dependable family cultivated in Joan genuine, Godly values where love, kindness, self-sacrifice, optimism, peacemaking and a "can do" spirit became elemental virtues of her lifelong personality. Joan married Alfred Bruce Coyle of Memphis, TN on September 9, 1949. She served him as his nurturing companion for more than 60 years of full-time Christian ministry, including at Memorial Baptist Church in Murray, KY and the following churches in Tennessee: Westover Baptist in Jackson, Signal Mountain Baptist Church in Chattanooga, First Baptist Church in Rogersville, Highland Heights Baptist Church in Memphis, and First Baptist Church in Rockwood. Later in life, Joan supported Bruce when he was Vice President of Development of Carson-Newman College, during which time she attended First Baptist Church of Jefferson City whenever Bruce was not serving as an interim pastor at First Baptist Newport, Lyons Creek Baptist, First Baptist Dandridge, Central Baptist Oak Ridge, Mouth of Richland Baptist in Blaine, Alice Bell in Knoxville, Valley Grove Baptist Knoxville and Alpha Baptist in Morristown, among others. All of these congregations loved Joan as a sister, and she loved them. Joan Coyle spent her entire life in the joyful service of her family, as nurturing wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker. She cared for her family tirelessly and was fiercely protective of each of its members. She was preceded in death by her father, Rufus Aaron Barber, mother, Exie Kazell Higgins Barber, sister, Mary Lee Barber Briley of Jackson, TN, and brother, Charles Ralph Barber of Dickson, TN. Survivors include her brother, Dr. John Rufus Barber of Muncie, IN; her husband of more than 64 years, Dr. Alfred Bruce Coyle; three sons, Alfred Bruce Coyle II and his former wife Debora Jane Annis Coyle of Knoxville, TN, Dr. Philip Anthony Coyle and his wife, Judith Ann Caudle Coyle of Longview, TX, and Frank Aaron Coyle, Esq. and his wife Laura Beth Easterly Coyle of Nashville, TN; seven grandchildren, Chelsey Erin Coyle Bowen, Alfred Bruce "Trey" Coyle III, Chase Daniel Coyle, Christopher Anthony Coyle, Philip Andrew Coyle, Maxwell Garrett Coyle and Jack Ryan Coyle; and two great grandchildren, Emerson Grace Bowen and Everly James Bowen. Receiving of family and friends will be held Wednesday, May 21, 2014 from 5-7 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Jefferson City, immediately after which the memorial service will be conducted by Rev. Ray Lloyd, with eulogies also delivered by Mrs. Joan Coyle's brother, Dr. John Rufus Barber, and son, Dr. Philip Anthony Coyle. The immediate family will hold a private committal service at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, 2014 at Mrs. Joan Coyle's place of rest, Highland Memorial Parks in Knoxville, TN.