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He enlisted in the United States Navy on November 15, 1960. He attended Boot Camp in San Diego CA with further training in Charleston SC. He held top security clearance and was stationed at Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine with MOMAT Unit #0322, mobile mine assembly and underwater recovery team flown to Mildenhall, England, Canada and other locations.

In 1962 he married Ingrid Vivian Carlson in Portland, Maine. Following his active discharge in 1964, they moved to Columbia City.

An automotive technician, he worked in Flagstaff AZ then built engines for Webco in Columbia City until they closed. He was honored to be hired by Louis Meyer Racing in Indianapolis where he assembled DOHC Ford engines for the Indy 500 including drivers A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Al Unser. Then the business moved to Houston TX, Dallas worked as a mechanic at Buchanan Ford, Fort Wayne Lincoln Mercury and other Ford dealerships. As a contractor to Morgan Drive-Away for 10 years, he delivered recreational vehicles to every state in the U.S. and several Canadian provinces, and was honored for a million accident-free miles.

He also became an area dealer for Fiberfab Corp. and built MG and Mercedes Relicars. The first MG replicar assembled with help from both sons promptly became "Mom's Car." He co-owned and operated C & C Automotive with his brother, Larry, retiring in 1996. As partners, he and his wife operated a mobile vehicle inspection service.

Competition was always a part of who he was. Dallas designed and built a two-wheel drive Ford pulling truck in the early 1980s. "Shoestring" was the initial area competition truck and won pulls at Arcola, Plymouth, Churubusco and Purdue University.

His memberships included ARCA, NRA, American Legion Post #157 in Churubusco, Gold Prospectors Association of America, Lost Dutchman Mining Association and Hoosier State Tractor Pullers Association. He was a member of Thorncreek Volunteer Fire Department for many years and served as a first responder, safety officer, trustee and recreation fund treasurer.

Vacations were often spent at the Carlson family home in Connecticut, then Nova Scotia where his in-laws moved in the early '70s. Dallas enjoyed his family as well as exploring remote areas of the United States and Canada as a recreational gold prospector. He and his wife roamed Arizona desert volcanic outcroppings with friends on four wheelers, worked for two season at Thermal City Gold Mine in North Carolina where Dallas maintained equipment and enjoyed Lost Dutchman's Mining Association camps around the U.S. At his 50th class reunion, he shared that he had experienced far more than he had ever dreamed, and had lived a full life.

Surviving relatives include his wife, Ingrid Vivian; two sons, Timothy L. (Michelle) Coyle of Larwill and Theodore W. (Kristin) Coyle of Columbia City; grandsons, Marcus, Jacob, Tyler, Kable, Kason and Kaleb; a granddaughter, Elizabeth; a brother, Larry (Rosie) Coyle of Columbia City; a brother-in-law, Gary Carlson of Putnam CT; and nieces and nephews.

His parents and a granddaughter, Krystal Elizabeth Coyle, preceded him in death.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City with visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

The graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Thorn Cemetery, Ormas with military honors presented by American Legion Post #157.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for the grandchildren education fund. ">

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© 2005 Columbia City High School Alumni Association     This page last modified 09/27/2006