1954 – 2016

AUBURN — Daniel Anthony Coyne III passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, May 8.

Born in Rockville Center, N.Y., in 1954, Dan moved to Maine when he was 9 years old to live with his grandparents, Signe and Lars Larson of Winthrop. He was a graduate of Monmouth High School.

After graduating, he moved to Arizona, where he worked as an iron worker and a copper miner. He then enlisted and served in the Army as HQ platoon sergeant of the 1st Calvary Division of the Dragoons, spending the majority of his service in Germany, where he and his squadron helped to guard the Berlin Wall. He also held the title of best tank in Europe for five years straight. He was honorably discharged in 1983.

Dan then went on to work for Hartt Transportation as an independent owner-operator until 2000 when he left to start his own restaurant, Little Dan’s Barbeque. Launched in Winthrop and later relocated to Lewiston, Little Dan’s was a staple in the Lewiston-Auburn area restaurant scene for nine years.

He was an avid supporter of musicians in the area, hosting live music at the restaurant frequently. After closing the restaurant in 2010, he returned to Hartt Transportation as a company driver. He became the corporate recruiter for Hartt in 2012, a position he held until his passing.

He will be remembered as a fiercely loyal friend and father, a lover of music, gourmet food and classic cars. His impact on the Lewiston-Auburn area was widespread and his presence will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his sons, Bjorn Coyne of Winthrop and Nils Coyne of Winthrop; and their mother, Gisela Coyne of Winthrop; his sisters, Denise Wilson of Springfield, Va., and Karin Slusser of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and his brother, Eric Brunet of Florence, Mont. He also leaves behind a fiancée, Lissa Gumprecht of Auburn and her two children, Samantha and Oliver.