Meet our 2026 Parade Grand Marshals: Paul & Linda Coughlin! 💖

Paul and Linda Coughlin are this year’s Jayno Heights Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshals. Both Linda and Paul’s families were originally from Jayno Heights. Linda’s family (the Baumgarts) had a home built on Lola Court in 1964, and Paul’s dad built their family home on St. Jude in 1965. Paul’s Dad (Gordon Coughlin) built 10-12 homes in the Jayno subdivision. 

Paul and Linda met in the neighborhood. After getting married, they lived on Elizabeth Lake for a few years but, preferring the size of Loon Lake, moved back into Jayno Heights in 1983. They celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary this year on June 19^th!

Paul and Linda owned the Runnin’ Gear store for 44 years and sold it about a year ago.  Paul was always interested in track and field. He holds records at Albion College and Cranbrook High School. He even competed in the NCAA Track and Field National Championship. He coached track and field at both Mason Junior High and Kettering High School. Linda attended Central Michigan University and was a Medical Technologist, until their first daughter, Amy, was born. Then she became the bookkeeper at Runnin’ Gear, also working as paraprofessional at Mason Middle School for many years.

They have three children (Amy, Megan, and Eric) and five grandchildren, with another grandchild due in August. Their daughter Amy and her family live in the home Linda grew up in on Lola Ct. Amy also manages the Jayno Heights website.

Both Paul and Linda love the neighborhood and their neighbors. They are active in the community, and Paul has been a member of the Waterford Foundation for Public Education for 25 years.

Please come out and watch the Fourth of July parade and wave to our honored guests. They will be riding in the green mustang convertible.

(Photos: On their wedding day in 1976, and this month with their grandson, Evan, at his 5th grade graduation.)