Editor:
It is with great sadness that I have heard of Jean Coyne’s passing.
Although I did meet Jean back in the 1970s, I had more contact with Vin, her husband of over 60 years, due to our involvement with the former White Rock Sun. Its publisher was Nestor Izowsky, production manager Scott Kennedy and the youngest editor-in-chief of a community newspaper at age 19, Vin Coyne. He was in his 30s when I met him in the early 1970s.
I worked for the Sun when staff went on strike in October 1976 – Rene Blackstone, Scott Kennedy, Roy Jelly and many others – a move that I regret to this day.
Roy, of course, went on to start the Peace Arch News in February 1976 on a twice-a-month basis; I joined the staff in November 1976 to become its editor, as PAN went weekly. Eileen Toumaala was my assistant editor as she had helped Roy out from the start.
Vin and I did have some differences of opinion on matters that led to a letter to the editor/editor’s response that I vividly remember.
My condolences to Vin and his children at this time in their lives.
Graham Evan MacDonell, Abbotsford