Wellsville, NY - Clair H. “Tuggy” Coyle, 76, a former longtime resident of 1978 Stannards Road, died on Sunday, July 23, 2017 at Rochester General Hospital following a long illness. He was born March 22, 1941 in Wellsville, the son of the late Joseph and Flora (Brownell) Coyle. On June 16, 2000 in Lincolnton, NC, he married Esther “Marie” (Gavitt) Hurlburt, who predeceased him on September 17, 2013.
Clair was a longtime resident of the Town of Willing, he attended school in Wellsville and served with the U.S. Marine Corps. He was first employed as a farm hand for the Charlie Hart and the Francis Joyce families. He later worked for Woodlawn Cemetery, the Gerald Hart, Crest Haven Vault Company, and the Wellsville Central School District, for 25 years, retiring in 1995. He was also an auxiliary policeman and crossing guard for the Village of Wellsville.
He was a former member of the Friendship and Wellsville Volunteer Fire Departments, and later joined the Willing Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as a dedicated fire policeman for many years. He was a member of the former Allegany County Civil Defense, the Salvation Army, and the Trinity Lutheran Church.
He is survived by a step-daughter, Deborah (John) Nielson of Lincolnton, NC, a step-son, Gene (Glenda) Hurlburt of Wellsville, and their families, a half-brother, George Kump of Wellsville and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased in addition to his parents and wife, by a brother, Howard Coyle, and a half-sister, Anna Mae Webster.
Friends are invited to call on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the J. W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc. in Wellsville. The funeral will be Thursday, July 27th at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home. Burial with military honors will be in Yorks Corners Cemetery. Please consider memorial donations to the Willing Volunteer Fire Department or the Salvation Army in Wellsville. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com.
