Charles G. Coyle III S.J.

The New Orleans Advocate
October 24, 2015

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theneworleansadvocate/obituary.aspx?pid=175268177

Charles G. Coyle III S.J. Obituary

. . . and he grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man . . . Charles G. Coyle III, S.J. entered the Heavenly Kingdom on July 1, 2015. A private Christian memorial service was held. He is survived by his sister Florence Coyle Treadway, his brother Robert D. Coyle, many loving nieces and nephews, foster-son Hamilton Armstrong, his wife Setsuko Miura Armstrong, and his beloved granddaughter, Ariel Miura Armstrong. Father Charley was born in New Orleans and graduated from Jesuit High School in 1949. He was president of his senior class and received the Senior Class Leadership Award. He matriculated at Spring Hill College and was awarded the Freshman Cup in 1950, Outstanding ROTC Award in 1951, and selected ROTC Battalion Commander in 1952. In 1952, he entered the Jesuit novitiate and began studies toward the priesthood. In 1958, he received a Master of Arts degree in Political Philosophy from Spring Hill College and from 1958-1962 taught at Jesuit High Schools in Dallas, Shreveport, and New Orleans. Various former students from those years declare that Father Charley was the one they went to for advice and counsel and was "the best teacher I ever had." From 1962-1966, Charley studied Theology at Woodstock College, Maryland. In 1964, he became the Director of the Mental Health Institute at Woodstock. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1965. In 1966, he lectured at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1967, he began full-time studies for the M. Ed. in Counseling Psychology at Boston College. Subsequently, he was asked to consult for the U.S. Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency and was a lecturer at Georgetown University School of Medicine. In 1969, he was appointed Coordinator of Drug Education Programs for the city of Newton, Massachusetts, a guidance counselor for the Newton public schools, and chaplain of Newton College of the Sacred Heart. In 1970, he was made President of the Faculty Senate of Newton South High School. In 1971, Charley opened a half-way house for teenagers with drug problems. Newton Mayor Ted Mann appointed him Commissioner of Youth for the City of Newton. He was the founder and Director of Project Concern, a school program for alienated youth. In 1972, he was a lecturer at the John F. Kennedy Institute for the Advancement of Political Science, Cambridge, MA. He became Special Counsel and speech writer for Newton Mayor Ted Mann. In 1973, he was a member of the Mayor's Health Advisory Committee and Chairman of the Newton Youth Commission. In 1974, he was selected by the Republican Party of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a candidate for Congress but he declined the nomination. In 1975, he became a board member of Freeport, Inc.'s Residential Youth Center. In 1976, Charley was awarded the Outstanding Citizen and Leadership Award for the City of Newton, MA. In 1977, Charley returned to the South and spent a year as Asst. Principal at Strake Jesuit High School in Houston, TX. In 1978, he was appointed Louisiana State Director of Operations for Odyssey House, Inc., an internationally recognized drug rehabilitation program. In 1981, he worked in parish ministry in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and has been a teacher, retreat master, evangelist, and a Christian counselor at the Northshore Psychiatric Hospital. Board of Directors- Hospice of New Orleans, 1982; Board of Directors- Louisiana Shakespeare Festival, 1986; Board of Directors- Rapha Hospital, Patient Recovery, 1992; Board of Directors- Jeremiah Ministries, 1993. Over the years, Charley's genuine kindness, listening ear, ready availability, and common-sense Christian worldview gave solace and solutions to a wide circle of friends and counselees, extending from the walls of penance in Angola Prison to the walls of power in Washington, D.C. An elderly parishioner at a large Catholic church told Charley's brother that "Charley was the only priest he had ever seen get a 'standing ovation' after delivering his sermon . . . and he was a substitute for the regular priest!" When entering the Gates of Heaven, Father Charley undoubtedly received another standing ovation, as a good and faithful servant of God. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Chateau de Notre Dame, 2832 Burdette St. NOLA 70125, and/or The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) c/o JHS 4133 Banks St. NOLA 70119.