Dr. James T. Coggins

Dr. James Tyler Coggins, 74, of Dallas, TX peacefully passed away on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 and is now rejoicing in heaven with his Lord and Savior, finally free of the debilitating Parkinson’s disease he so valiantly fought over the last several years.

Dr. Coggins was born in Sweetwater, TX on Oct. 8, 1938 to John and Waldeen Coggins. He was their only child, and was very proud of his family’s Swedish and Scots-Irish heritage. As a young boy, he lived a short time in Chicago, IL and then his parents finally settled in Amarillo, Texas. He hunted and fished in the Texas Panhandle region with his family, and then for the rest of his life. He bird hunted as recently as 2009 in the rolling hills of the West Texas Plains, an area he deeply loved. In 1956, he graduated from Amarillo High School, and then attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, where he graduated in 1960 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Chemistry and Biology.

In 1960, he married his sweet heart, Laverne Hodges, at First Baptist Church of Amarillo, and then they moved to Dallas where he began his studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He graduated with his Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1964. His internship was at Methodist Medical Center of Dallas, where he received the Outstanding Internship Recognition for 1964-65. He completed his residency at Parkland Hospital in 1970, with one year in general surgery and four and one-half years in Urology. He also served as a physician for five years in the Air Force Reserves during the Viet Nam era.

In 1970, Dr. Coggins joined the private urology practice of Drs. Boone and Green, which then became Boone, Greene, Coggins & Associates. This was the origin of what is now Southwest Urology Associates. Also, Dr. Coggins was on the medical staff of Methodist Hospitals of Dallas. From 1981-1986, he was instrumental in the development of the renal transplantation program at Methodist. He also served as Medical Staff president, a long-term board member and chief of the urology section. He also helped develop the original medi-vac in Dallas, which is now known as Care Flight. He also was a member of the American Medical Association and Christian Medical Society.

Dr. Coggins devoted 35 years of his life to practicing medicine and utilizing his God given talents to minister to people through their health care needs. He was a very passionate physician, who felt called by the Lord to care for people from all walks of life. He was dedicated to his work in urological oncology, and treating end-stage renal disease, renal transplant patients, and radical prostates.

In 2006, Dr. Coggins retired from private practice and performing surgery. His body had begun to slowly develop the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which took a toll on him until his passing. As a physician, he knew what this type of diagnosis meant, and he did his very best to live out his remaining time at peace with himself, his family and the Lord.

Dr. Coggins was a devout follower of Christ, having accepted Him as his Lord and Savior as a young man in Amarillo. In high school, he loved going to Glorieta Baptist Encampment in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico with the First Baptist Church Amarillo youth group. Once in Dallas, he and his wife were active in First Baptist Church Dallas, where they helped in building the Medical & Dental Sunday School Class in the 1970s and early 80s.

While his children were teenagers in the 80s at First Dallas, he and his wife were Clarion and Chapel Choir Sponsors. Dr. Coggins attended choir tours and church trips to England, Hawaii, and most of the continental United States.

Dr. Coggins spent time as a member of the Peace Maker’s Sunday School Class. He faithfully attended services at First Dallas until he was no longer able.

Dr. Coggins was a supporter of First Baptist Academy, where both of his children attended and graduated. He served two terms as a member of the school board. He was a member of the athletic booster club, and often Saint fans would find Dr. Coggins with a video camera on his shoulder standing in the bleachers, filming football and basketball games and the half-time show of the drill team and band.

Dr. Coggins was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Laverne, and his two children; daughter, Lisa Rahimi and her husband, Abbas; and son Christopher; as well as his two grand-children Rian and Roya Rahimi. Also are his wife’s sister, Kathy Cantrell, and her daughters, Julie Cantrell and Tonya Hartsfield, and her husband, Ross, and their children, Sarah, Bethany and Mark.

A Memorial Service in celebration of Dr. Coggins life will be at 1:30 pm Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 in Truett Chapel located in the Criswell Center at First Baptist Dallas. The Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:

Pastoral Care Ministries of First Baptist Church Dallas

1707 San Jacinto

Dallas, Texas 75201

Phone: 214-969-0111

Parkinson’s Disease Foundation

Main Office

1359 Broadway, Suite 1509

New York, NY 10018

Phone: 212-923-4700

American Heart Association – Dallas

8200 Brookriver Drive, Suite N-100

Dallas, TX 75247

Phone: 214-748-7212

American Diabetes Association – North Texas

4100 Alpha Rd

Suite 100

Dallas, TX 75244

Phone: 972-392-1181

Texas Baptist Men's Association

5351 Catron

Dallas, Texas 75227

Phone: 214-275-1114

Website: www.texasbaptistmen.org