OBITUARY | Deputy Rick Coyle

Deputy Rick Coyle

Richard Joseph “Rick” Coyle, 58, a devoted husband, beloved brother and uncle, and a lifelong public servant, passed away on April 30, 2026 at his home in Marion, surrounded by family.

Rick lived a life rooted in service and unwavering integrity. A Chicago native, Rick started his career at the Will County Sheriff’s Department. He then dedicated 28 years to the Chicago Police Department, where he served on the Special Operations and SWAT teams, earning the respect of colleagues for his loyalty and humility. After retiring from Chicago, Rick continued his calling in law enforcement, working with the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department in Kentucky where he served as a school resource officer. Known for his ability to connect with others, he was described as a “true community servant” with a “big heart” who made a lasting impression on everyone he met.  

Rick’s greatest pride was his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Jami; his sister, Annamaria; his brother-in-law, Robert; his beloved nieces, Jessica, Marissa, and Amanda, along with their husbands, Matt and Andrew; and his mother-in-law, Marguerite. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Richard and Carmela, and father-in-law, Roy. He was a constant source of strength, humor and guidance to them all and his presence will be deeply missed.

Rick will be remembered as courageous, compassionate and dependable. From the streets of Chicago to the close-knit community of Crittenden County, he gave his life to protecting others and strengthening the communities he called home. He lived with purpose and was deeply loved by all who had the privilege to know him. Rick’s legacy lives on in the lives he protected, the community he strengthened and the family he loved so deeply.

A celebration of Rick’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Friday May 8 at Rocket Arena in Marion with private committal services to follow. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Chicago. The family encourages memorials to take the form of donations to organizations that honor fallen officers including Supporting Heroes at supportingheroes.org and the Chicago Police Memorial Fund at cpdmemorial.org