Daniel P. Coakley, 61, passed away unexpectedly on March 14th, 2023. Born in Woburn, March 24, 1961, Danny was the youngest of 10 children born to the late Cornelius Coakley SR. and the late Elizabeth (McMahon) Coakley. He is survived by 5 sisters: Maureen Marquis of Stoneham, MA, Elizabeth Lumbert and her husband George of Nashua NH, Ann-Marie Fultz of Vernon, CT, Roberta Stairs of Billerica, MA and Laura Silva of Newington, NH. He is predeceased by his brothers Cornelius Coakley, Jr., Michael C. Coakley, John Coakley and his sister Thomasine “Sharon” Hartman. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews including his goddaughter Vanessa Daniels as well as his godson’s Shawn Stairs Sr.. and Michael Coakley with whom he, separately, shared a unique bond in a way that he considered them more like his good buddies than his nephews. Additionally, his closest and most reliable friends are left without a “brother”.
Danny was born in Woburn where he graduated from high school before going off on his own path. It was in his teenage years that he formed some of his longest most solid friendships. He spent much of his adult life primarily in South Boston; “Southie”, and eventually he ended up with a home at Hampton Beach, NH, in the area where he spent his childhood summers. For a period, he chose to be a sort of nomad but in more recent years he spent time with family in Nashua, NH and Newington, NH, before landing himself in Milford, NH. All the while he dreamt of retirement and had
so many ideas of what that would look like as he approached the peak of his third quarter. Danny had many hobbies and a breadth of experience. He loved playing guitar and riding motorcycles; and was a collector of both. One of his favorite things was being on the open road on his bike with the wind in his hair, even after it began to recede. Playing guitar was like therapy for him and he continually practiced to improve his ability by taking lessons and regularly critiquing himself. His passion for music didn’t stop at wanting to be an excellent guitarist; he very much enjoyed going to concerts, especially outdoors on a summer night with an ice cold Yeungling. He had an appreciation for a good pair of cowboy boots, otherwise known as his day or night out signature look. To add to his many talents, Danny was a skilled carpenter who took great pride in his workmanship. He was often found helping family and friends with projects, albeit peppered by complaints and usually at a snail’s pace because everything had to be absolutely his idea of perfection. This type of work earned him the nickname “uncle bammer” by some of his great nieces and nephews.
Danny also had an appetite for learning. In addition to pursuing an undergraduate degree at UMass Boston he also enrolled in other college level courses throughout his life. To further that, he was an avid reader on an array of subjects. He was a well-rounded man who could cook quite well, on top of so much more. He had several careers, most notably owning a Hardwood flooring business. He was a hard worker no matter what he was doing, in particular at his final job where his days typically began before dawn and frequently ended after dusk. Some would say he was wild at times, but nonetheless he enjoyed life to its fullest, whenever possible, despite plenty of obstacles over the years. The NH state motto really spoke to him, “Live Free or Die” he would say, as he tried to accomplish that independence every day. Danny will be forever missed by his family, friends and anyone who had the chance to get to know him. Surely he has found his eternal open road and a good ole Irish pub playing great tunes where he can kick back and catch up with those who have gone before him.
Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours at the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Family Funeral Home, 60 Pleasant St., Woburn, Friday, April 21st, from 4 to 8 p.m. with a memorial prayer service starting at 7 p.m.