William "Bill" Henry Coughlin

Rev. William “Bill” Henry Coughlin, 85, died in Christ on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Tucker Hospice House surrounded by his family.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm at Lady’s Funeral Home on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. The funeral service is scheduled for 12:30 pm at Lady’s Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Kevin Whidden will officiate. Interment will follow at Carolina Memorial Park in Kannapolis.

Bill was born November 10, 1939, in Wolfeboro, NH to the late Edward Garrett Coughlin and Alice Lillian Doe Coughlin. After attending public schools in Manchester and Center Ossipee, NH, he completed his elementary education and two years of his secondary education at Emerson School for Boys in Exeter, NH. Two years later, in 1957, he graduated from Kennett High School in Conway, NH.

Shortly after Bill, at the age of 13, accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, he submitted to the call of God for Christian ministry. In 1957, he attended the New England School of Theology in Brookline, MA where he met his wife-to-be, Kathleen “Kathy” Boston. In 1957, the college moved to Lenox, MA and assumed the name Berkshire Christian College. Bill and Kathy married June 11, 1960, in Lenoir, NC, and both graduated from Berkshire Christian College in 1961.

Not only God’s calling but also his passion, Bill served most of 1960 to 2020 as full-time pastor at churches in Fall River, MA; Bethlehem Community, NC; Danbury, CT; Charlotte, NC; and Landis, NC. His last pastorate was 24 years at Landis First Assembly.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Kathleen Coughlin; his daughter Pamela Bell; and his brothers Edward Garrett Coughlin and Parker Dennis Coughlin.

He is survived by his son, Stephen Coughlin (wife Barbara) of Kannapolis, NC; his daughter Bethany Ledwell (husband Robert) of Concord, NC; eight grandchildren (Alyssa Coughlin, Jessica Held, Cody Luck, Kayla Fesperman, Madison Kelley, Grant Coughlin, Emily Ledwell, and Katie Ledwell); 3 great grandchildren (Levi Fesperman, Jaxon Fesperman, and Mason Coughlin); and three cousins (Sandra Robinson, Sally Doe, and Diane Whipple).

Bill leaves behind a heritage of serving the Lord with joy and gladness. There is no greater legacy for one to leave for those who follow.