James Sidney Coyle, 73, formerly of Piggott, died Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006, at Sutter Tracy Community Hospital in Tracy, Calif.

He was born on Dec. 23, 1932, the son of the late Thomas and Thelma Coyle of Piggott.

Mr. Coyle worked as a maintenance mechanic for Southern Pacific Railroad, International Harvester and Laura Scudders. He served in the U.S. Army as a surface-to-air missile crewman stationed in California.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing and telling stories to his grandchildren, whom he called his "pride and joy".

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Lawrence, Wayne and Robert Coyle.

Mr. Coyle is survived by the mother of his children, Patt Coyle of Tracy, Calif.; children, Tom Coyle and his wife, Debbie, of Plymouth, Calif., Gina Castro and her husband, Manuel, of Banta, Calif., and Kathi Coyle of Tracy, Calif.; he also leaves three children, Vickie, Valerie and Jim of Oklahoma; siblings, Tom Coyle, Janie King, Paul Coyle, David Coyle and Norma Williams, all of Illinois, Al Coyle of Scottsdale, Ariz., Rose Coyle, Donna Parks and Kathryn Coyle of Piggott; grandchildren, Tanya Coyle of Tracy, Calif., Heather and Steven Harding, both of Plymouth, Calif., Michael, Bernadette, Caitlyn, Manuel, Martin and Alissa Castro, all of Banta, Calif., and Thomas James Coyle of Tracy, Calif.; great-grandson Gabriel Joseph Coyle-Hollingshed of Tracy, Calif.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial mass was held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Tracy, Calif. A private memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006, in Piggott. Interment will follow at Hall Cemetery in St. Francis.

Hotchkiss Mortuary of Tracy is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Bernard's Catholic Church Building Fund, 163 West Eaton Avenue, Tracy, CA 95376, or to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.