Frank Paul Coughlin, 61; Stamford Native Who Had Passion for Rock Music, Nature, Photography

From Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home.

Frank Paul Coughlin of Cavendish, Vermont passed away peacefully on the morning of April 7, 2015 from complications of lung cancer.

Frank spent the last year of his life in the excellent care of the wonderful staff at the Springfield Health and Rehabilitation Center and the Springfield Hospital.

He was born on February 2, 1954 in Stamford, Connecticut to the late Reginald Alfred and Rose Rumore Coughlin.

He was named after his maternal grandfather Frank Paul Rumore. He grew up in Stamford and graduated from Rippowam High School with the class of 1972.

After high school graduation, Frank worked in the family business, Reliable Oil and Heat Company, which was established by his grandfather Frank as The Stamford Coal Company in 1922. He then pursued his interest in electronics and worked for many years for NEC Corporation accepting assignments in several locations around the country including Florida, Colorado and Puerto Rico.

Frank’s long-time friends remember him from their days at Turn of River Junior High School as one of the early “hippies” sporting long hair, bell-bottomed jeans and his signature Frye boots. At the young age of 15, his love of rock and roll drew him to the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. His passion for rock music stayed with him throughout the years and he never quite left the 1970’s behind.

Once he moved to New Hampshire and then Vermont, Frank developed a real love of wildlife which he could appreciate just by looking out his window. Songbirds, owls, ducks, geese, moose, deer, raccoons and the occasional bear visited the pond on his Cavendish property. He always had his camera ready and he became quite an accomplished wildlife photographer selling some of his photographs locally.
Frank was always drawn to scientific endeavors which were more than just hobbies to him. Because his property was rural and away from the city lights, he could easily indulge his strong interest in astronomy. Again, focusing on the skies, he also built and flew model rockets.

He is survived by his sister Lauraine Coughlin Matchneer and her husband William W. Matchneer III of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by his nephew Brian M. Pieczko, Jr. and his wife Lisa Goldstein Pieczko of Los Angeles, California. A funeral service will be held privately in Darien, Connecticut.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Frank’s memory to the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook Street, I-91 Tech Ctr, Rocky Hill, CT 06067-3045

To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com