Jean Russell Coughlin

OBITUARY

On October 9th, 2026, Jean Russell Coughlin passed into the Heavenly Realms to be with her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Jean was born on March 14, 1935, in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Her 91 years were filled with kindness and service to others. As a child, living in Leeds with her mother and grandmother, while her father served throughout the 7 years of WWII, Jean suffered many nights, being hurriedly awakened and rushed to the underground shelter, as the bombs fell over the city. These memories were never forgotten. As a young woman in her twenties, Jean bravely left England for adventure and to further her career in Canada. A week on a ship in the rough Atlantic Ocean made her rethink somewhat! However, the following years, she broadened her experiences working in the Montreal headquarters of BOAC and even spent a few years in the Arctic for the Canadian Government. By the 1970’s, Jean found herself in California furthering her career in business administration. Her skills enabled her to be instrumental in assisting entrepreneurs of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), manufacturers of computer chips, into a global corporation. During these years she met and married Thomas Coughlin. In 1998, she became a United States Citizen while she worked for AMD in Austin, Texas. After becoming a citizen, she proudly called herself a Texan!! Upon retirement in 2000, Jean moved with her husband to Allentown, Pennsylvania, as he was a graduate of Muhlenberg College. Jean’s love and service to others shone brightly through her kindness and joyfulness. Her accomplishments were many, including dancing in the California Scottish Society Dancers. They were featured in an episode of the television series Hart to Hart. In Texas, she served in the TX Special Olympics and the March of Dimes at every opportunity. Once Jean settled in PA, she dedicated herself in service to God in so many ways by personally encouraging friends and associates, participation in Bible studies and actively taking on leadership roles in the Lehigh Valley Tres Dias chapter of Tres Dias serving as chapter Treasurer and prayer warrior on and for Tres Dias weekends. Jean blessed many other organizations such as the Red Hat Society, Vacation Bible School and Millbrook Chase social committee. Jean was a resident at Luther Crest for 13 years. For eleven of those years, she dedicated her service to the Chapel Altar Guild ministry by preparing the altar for Sunday worship service. She also was the person who took on the responsibility of preparing the chapel for memorial or other services. Jean spent many hours in prayer for her fellow residents at Luther Crest. She faithfully sustained the prayer request list and distributed it via email. In between all these charitable activities, Jean traveled extensively throughout the USA and to parts of the world including France, (to be with Ian and Anne), Scotland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Australia, just to name a few. Jean’s love for God, family, friends and life was a beacon of light. She was always encouraging through her smile, kind words and delightful humor. Jean was pre-deceased by her husband and her parents. Surviving her, includes her brother Ian Russell and his wife Anne in Normandy, France; niece Tanya Jean Russell Fisher and her husband Billy; great nephews Callum Fisher and Ryan Fisher in Northamptonshire, England; cousins Tina and her husband David Dodgson in Yorkshire, England; Janet and her husband Kevin Scott in West Sussex, England.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. in Crest Hall at Evertrue Luther Crest Retirement Community 800 Hausman Road Allentown. Arrangements by the J.S. Burkholder Funeral Home, Allentown. Condolences may be offered at: www.jsburkholder.com