Kathleen “Katie” Coyne, aged 64, died on May 1, 2025 at her home in Geneseo, NY. Born in Avon, NY to the late Thomas and Teresa Kingston Coyne.
She was a graduate of Avon Central School and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Katie spent her life in the dairy cattle business, most recently traveling across the United States teaching youth how to prepare and exhibit cattle to their fullest potential through her Mill Wheel Show Clinic business. A life-long teacher of details, she taught over thousands of youth and judges throughout her life. With her family, she has owned or developed numerous All-American nominations and was a member of the National Brown Swiss and Holstein judges list. Owning show cattle was her absolute joy from daily chores to sharing her knowledge. She fed her own small herd of registered Herefords and dairy show heifers right until the end of her life.
Katie held numerous leadership positions, being one of the first women to be elected to the World Dairy Expo Board of Directors and Dairy Cattle committee. She served as a volunteer at the World Dairy Expo for over 30 years, donating her time for 20 of those years as the Fitting and Showmanship superintendent. She served on the Wisconsin Holstein Board of Directors, the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion board and was a longtime 4-H leader. She was a 50 year member of Holstein USA and assisted in the writing of numerous workbooks for the Holstein Foundation as well as a longtime volunteer for the national dairy bowl and dairy jeopardy contests. She was recognized four times as the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Outstanding Leader and received the prestigious Friend of Wisconsin Junior Holstein award in 2020.
Katie served the Catholic church as a pastoral associate and in children and youth ministry for many years in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Katie leaves her three children: Maureen Lee and her daughter Adelaide of Sheboygan Falls, WI, daughter Kelly (Tyler) Reynolds and their two children, Cannyn and Saylor of Corfu, NY and son, Wyatt Lee, who resides in Sheboygan Falls, WI. She further leaves her brothers Peter (Lisa) and John (Shannon) and sister Joan (Doug) Seidel. She leaves her beloved nieces and nephews; Brian, William, Rachel, Sara Kate, Elle and Edward. She leaves aunts, uncles and cousins, all of whom were dear to her. She was married to Grant DeBruin and Terry Lee, both of whom remain.
No prior calling hours will be held. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30am on Thursday, May 8th, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 96 Prospect Street, Avon, NY. Burial will follow at St. Agnes Cemetery, Avon. A Celebration of Life Gathering will follow. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Badger Challenge, 111 Highland Ave, WIMR 3157, Madison, WI 53705, where 100% of the funds go to cancer research. Arrangements, Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home Inc. To send a condolence or share a memory please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com
