04/25/2026
Alan Robert Coveney
Alan Robert Coveney, age 85, of Eaton, Ohio, born in Kent, England on October 22, 1940, in his grandmother’s home, passed from this life on April 23, 2026. He leaves behind a garage full of scrap wood, well-organized tools, his hand-drawn plans for his next project, and enough strong opinions to last several more lifetimes.
He is survived by the love of his life — his wife of nearly 30 years, Thelma Edna Coveney; his daughter Shannon and her husband Andrew Cobourn, and his grandchildren, Jameson “Jed” Riggs and Ruby Elizabeth Ann; Edna’s daughter Michelle and her husband Luke and their son Austin and Edna’s son Perry along with his daughter Christmas and her husband Loren English, her children Jastin and Summer, and their children, Delaney, Luna, and Dawson. Alan is also survived by his sister Ruby and her husband Leon Young; his brother David and his wife Gloria Coveney; and his brother Robert and his wife Lucinda Coveney — and by a wide and devoted sprawl of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews who knew that if you needed him, he would be there.
Alan was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby née Easterling and Frederick Coveney; his infant son, Ronald Alan Coveney; his brother Ronald Coveney; and his sister Kathleen Amburgy.
Alan came into the world at the cusp of World War II in England when food was rationed which perhaps explains his lifelong belief that you should always be resourceful, always be prepared, and never pass a dessert table without paying your respects. He came to America in high school, following his sister Kitty across the pond, then convinced his entire family to make the move permanently. His youth was devoted to two equally serious pursuits — expertly avoiding school and trying to emulate Elvis Presley. By all accounts, he was considerably better at one than the other.
He built his career with his hands, starting at Philco, which became Ford, which became Visteon, eventually retiring from the Layout department. “Retirement”, however, was a word Alan used loosely and without real commitment. He never stopped working. If it could be taken apart or put together, Alan was already halfway done. He loved nothing better than to give a handmade gift, always showing his love through service. The walls of his garage are covered in photos of his grandchildren and cars, which tells you everything you need to know about his priorities.
He was devoted to the automobile with a sincerity most people reserve for religion. For decades he piloted stick-shift sports cars through the rolling hills of Indiana and Ohio, radio cranked up, fingers tapping on a custom leather steering wheel cover, Union Jack proudly displayed on every vehicle he ever owned. In 2023 he attended the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance with his grandson Jed, and if you’ve spent five minutes with him since then, you’ve likely heard about it no fewer than ten times.He liked his Rolling Stones loud, his cars fast, his coffee sweet and his lemon curd tart. He loved the trifle from his nieces and his brother Dave’s fruitcake. He loved Ruby’s laugh, Robert’s art and Kitty’s cooking. He pickled beets from his own garden. Always an Englishman, he kept a hankie in his pocket at all times. He loved a good argument the way some people love a good meal and never considered one finished until he’d had the last word. He was stubborn beyond measure.
And yet…
Alan was the man who would mow the neighbor’s lawn without being asked. Who would happily offer to drive you to the airport at an unreasonable hour. Who would visit someone who just needed a friendly face. He would help bail the hay, fix the engine, or just be there when being there was the whole point. Though it’s been said he’d spend a quarter to save a dime-Alan gave his time freely. He rarely said no if someone needed him. It’s a true Coveney family attribute, something learned through good times and hard ones alike: you show up for the people you love.
He was goofy, in the best possible way, and largely unaware of it — which made it even better. He could be sweet and tender when it mattered in a way that caught you off guard and stayed with you. He was all bark and no bite, carrying a gentle nature he thought no one saw. But we all did.
For part of his life, Alan rolled through the world as a bachelor, eating out every night and at different times, being adopted by the Youngs, the Spiveys, the Amburgys, wthe Cropenbakers- where he’d pay for warm meals and warm company with handyman jobs and entertaining the kids. Then he met Edna. She found the silly and the sweet he had been quietly carrying around, and she brought both fully into the light. Together they built a loving life that centered around their extended families. They traveled near and far to places like Italy and London, Hocking Hills, Gatlinburg, Atlanta, Seattle, California and the beaches of Florida, to spend time with each other and the family and friends they loved. He and Edna found a lot of sunny spots to sit in together.
Alan never didn’t have a project. He never stopped. Until, at last, he did — and even that was on his own terms.
A celebration of life service will be held at Lakengren Marina, 869 E Lakengren Drive in Eaton, Ohio 45320 on May 31st at 2:00 PM. Please bring your stories to share.
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