Joseph L. Coughlin, age 51, of Brookings, died Tuesday, November 20, 2007, at the Flandreau Medical Center in Flandreau, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 24, at the First United Methodist Church in Brookings, with interment in the DeSmet Cemetery. Visitations will be 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Home. Following interment a light lunch will be served at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Joseph LeVere Coughlin was born August 25, 1956 at the Huron Hospital to LeVere and Pearl (Smith) Coughlin of DeSmet. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in DeSmet. He grew up on a farm southwest of DeSmet during his youth and high school years. Joe attended country school for first grade and later attended grade and high school in DeSmet. He graduated from DeSmet High School in 1974. After graduation he attended Mitchell Vo-Tech for agriculture. After vo-tech he worked on the family farm. Joe worked as custodian at the First United Methodist Church. Joe returned to farming with his dad and brother until his death. Joe married Susan Claflin on June 20, 1987. They made their home in Egan, DeSmet for one year and later settled in Brookings. Joe and Susan were hosts to foreign exchange students since 1992. They hosted students from Germany, Spain, Mexico and Taiwan. Joe loved all sportshis favorite teams were the Twins and the Raiders. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Brookings. He was also a member of the South Dakota Hereford Association. Joe loved farming and raising Hereford cattle. He enjoyed spending time with his family, his loving wife and his special dog, Buck. Joes favorite hobby was collecting farm toy tractors. He enjoyed being around children and spending time with his nieces and nephews. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Susan; parents, LeVere and Pearl Coughlin of DeSmet; three sisters and two brothers: Susanne (Coughlin) and Brad Albrecht of Arlington, Jim and Debby Coughlin of Iroquois, John and Ralene Coughlin of DeSmet, Monte and Sheila (Coughlin) Gummer of Brookings, and Shelly (Coughlin) Soukup of Volga; several nieces and nephews, and a great grand nephew. Joe was preceded in death by his grandparents, Leo and Hazel Coughlin, step-grandmother, Elizabeth Coughlin, Ludolph and Marion Smith, mother-in-law, Mary Claflin and a sister-in-law, Jeannie Collins.