Mildred Emile Coyner

Mildred Emile Coyner PRINCETON Mildred Emile Coyner died on March 6, 2015, at her home in Princeton, NJ, surrounded by her loving family. She was 92. Born in Trenton and a longtime resident of Yardley, PA, Mildred was known and loved for her contributions to her communities, her faithfulness to her church, her loyalty to her friends, and most significantly for her love of her family. Daughter of Jacob and Matilda Grzenda, Mildred was born in Trenton, NJ, one of five sisters. For 38 years, she was the beloved wife of Harold Frederick Coyner; he predeceased her in 1978. Mildred made an early mark with her dramatic skills at Trenton High School. She met her soulmate, Harold, at a church social, and they married in 1940. As a housewife and mother in Yardley, PA, Mildred was an endlessly creative member of the New Hope Craft Guild, always experimenting with interesting new genres. She was a designer and creator of clothing for her four daughters. Flower arranging was a special passion, and for many years, Mildred worked as a wedding and floral consultant. In 1979, Mildred moved to New Smyrna Beach, FL, where she became deeply involved in the new Atlantic Center for the Arts as a founder and first chairman of the volunteers, a member of the board, and a tireless fundraiser. Mildred was recognized there with a walkway and the children's art program named in her honor. She was a loyal volunteer at Fish Memorial Hospital in New Smyrna Beach, receiving several awards for her work. Mildred was endlessly enthusiastic about life, and about the arts in particular, always eager to see what new thing was being created by talented people, no matter how unconventional. Mildred's great love of adventure extended to her many trips with friends to Europe and the Far East. Moving back to Princeton in 1999, Mildred became involved in local activities, especially at McCarter Theater, where she and her son, Robert, served as volunteers. With Harold, Mildred was a founding member of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Yardley. In Princeton, she became a member of the spiritual community of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, where she most recently was an active knitter in Messiah's Mantles, who create prayer shawls for people in need. Her deep faith was her lodestar, and was her comfort and her hope through the challenges of life. Mildred leaves her five children, Diana Charnok of Lyme, CT; Cheryl Evans of Princeton; Barbara Marshall of Pawley's Island, SC; Alison Howard of Lambertville, NJ, and Robert Coyner of Princeton; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A celebration of Mildred's life will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Princeton on Monday, March 9, 2015, at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at Mackay Hall, Princeton Theological Seminary. In lieu of flowers, make memorial contributions to the Mildred Coyner Scholarship for the Children's Art Program at the Atlantic Center of the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, FL, (www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org ); the National Alliance of Mental Illness (www.nami.org); or the Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Princeton. Services provided by Hopewell Memorial Home & Cremation Service located at 71 East Prospect Street, Hopewell NJ 08525