Collection inventory

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Patricia M. Coyle Family Papers

An inventory of the papers at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: Natalie Pace
Date: 2019



Biography

Photograph of Patricia M. Coyle

Patricia Mary Coyle (1968-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. Patricia, originally from Wallingford, Connecticut, was a junior at Boston College majoring in Education. She had gone to Vienna, Austria to study for a semester through Webster College. While there she studied political science and history and had an interest in pursuing a law degree following graduation. She was in Vienna with a classmate Karen Noonan, also a Pan Am 103 victim. The two were returning home via London to spend Christmas with their families and friends. Patricia was survived by her parents, Jan and Matt, maternal grandparents, sister Brenda, and twin sister Krisann.

Perhaps the best summation of Tricia's character comes from an article in the Record-Journal, a newspaper in Meriden, Connecticut, in which columnist Ted Moynihan wrote, "[t]he terrorists think they killed Tricia Coyle along with the other 258 passengers on Flight 103, but they were much too late for that. For in the short span of 20 years she had packed too much living for any group of madmen with some twisted cause to ever obliterate."


Scope and Content Note

The Patricia M. Coyle Family Papers collection consists of materials created and compiled by Patricia M. Coyle and her family members, notably her mother and father. Content focuses on Patricia's life, her family, and the Lockerbie Air disaster. Types of materials include photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, poems, notes, scholarship information, memorabilia, and artwork. The Collection is divided into Artwork, Memorabilia, and Papers.

Artwork consists of two models of Jan Coyle for the sculpture Dark Elegy by Suse Lowenstein, mother of Pan Am 103 victim and Syracuse University student Alexander Lowenstein.

Memorabilia consists of three shirts and a small towel from Boston College.

Papers consists of correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, poems, scholarship information, and notes.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Due to their fragility, access to the original model statutes of Jan Coyle is restricted.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.


Related Material

A volume of the Connecticut Journal of Law containing a piece on the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 was removed from the collection and added to the Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collection.

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Patricia M. Coyle Family Papers. Related collections include: Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection, On Eagles' Wings Collection and Dark Elegy Collection.


Selected Search Terms

Names

Coyle family.
Coyle, Patricia M.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

Types of Material

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Maquettes (sculptures).
Photographs.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Patricia M. Coyle Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Matt and Jan Coyle in 2018 and 2019.

Processing Information

Materials were rehoused in archival folders and boxes. The two Dark Elegy models were placed in custom made boxes.


Arrangement

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order within each series.


Table of Contents

Artwork

Memorabilia

Papers


Inventory