Patrick John Coughlin was born in Hammond, Indiana on July 30, 1941, to Patrick John Coughlin and Helen Marie Etienne.

Patrick “transitioned” into another state of being, as he might have said, with his death on April 1, 2026, in the loving embrace of his life partner and wife of 40 years, MaryJo (Alfonsus). Pat was preceded in death by his parents, his son Patrick and his daughter Karen. He is survived by MaryJo, his brother Jack, grandchildren Patrick, Hunter, Hannah, Hilary and Heather, stepchildren Steven, Suzanne, and Kathryn, and many nieces and nephews.

Like many of his generation he was honored to have served in the United States military as a Marine. He entered the Corps shortly after high school as many working-class young men did, not imagining that higher education was something for which he was destined. While serving in Hawaii, he began his college education. The love for learning captivated him. He would go on to earn a bachelor's degree in sociology from Purdue University and a master's degree in sociology and public administration from the University of Minnesota. He was also a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program.

While in graduate school at the University of Minnesota, Pat joined the Roseville, MN volunteer fire department and began a legacy of firefighting, first responding, and teaching. His role as a public sector administrator would carry him across the country and around the world. He served as the Fire Division Commander with the Richfield, MN Department of Public Safety and as Chief of the Olathe, KS Fire Department.

After retiring from active public service, Pat served as executive director of the Residential Fire Safety Institute and as a regional manager for the International Code Council. He was an international speaker on fire suppression and community fire risk. His blog, “Excellence in Fire Protection,” focused on cost-effective fire protection.

To those who knew him and loved him, he was a complex, insightful, and diligent man whose attention to detail made him the person you could always rely on to complete the task, accept the challenge, and finish the job. He was a generous man who shared his love of service with friends, colleagues, students, and countless communities in which he served and guided through his advocacy for greater efficiency in public safety service