Ronald Coates

Ronald Eugene Coates, one of two children of Clarence Francis and Alma Louise (Campbell) Coates, was born at Omaha, Nebraska on July 26, 1936. The family lived in Silver City, Iowa where Ron graduated from high school in 1955. Ron enlisted in the United States Navy on January 4, 1956 and served on the U.S.S. Beale, a naval destroyer. Ron was honorably discharged from the Navy on November 20, 1959. Ron and Velletta "Val" Grace Anderson of Boone, Iowa were married on April 16, 1960 at Waterloo, Nebraska. They established their home in Malvern, Iowa where Ron began a 30 year career in the livestock feed industry. He began working as a laborer for Martin Milling which was succeeded in business by Standard Chemical and Manufacturing. In 1972, Ron traveled to Marshall, Minnesota to help establish a new mill for Standard Chemical. He eventually became mill manager for the Malvern operation. During these same years, Ron and his father shared a school bus route for the Malvern School District. Ron continued to drive a school bus for the next 22 years. In 1990, Standard Chemical closed their Malvern milling operation and Ron retired. The next eight years Ron spent enjoying ...[more]

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e spent with his family and grandchildren. He and Val enjoyed camping and fishing. Ron's other enjoyments were hunting, yard work, watching John Wayne movies, and operating the T.V. remote control. For the past four years, Ron drove a passenger bus for Southwest Iowa Transit. Ron and Val had been married for 43 years when Ron died at the Nebraska Methodist Hospital in Omaha on June 25, 2003. He had attained the age of 66 years, 10 months, and 29 days. Ron was preceded in death by an infant sister Wanda Coates and his parents. Ron is survived by his wife Val Coates and their eight children: Kevin Anderson and wife Kathy of Glenwood, Iowa, Cindy Carnes and husband Steve of Malvern, Ronnie Coates and wife Karen of Malvern, Dianne Fritz and Bob Lewis of Tabor, Iowa, Deanne Buffington and husband Mike of Pacific Junction, Iowa, Michael Coates and wife Brandy of Glenwood, Michelle Study and husband Jason of Malvern, and Wendy Blackman and husband Chris of Malvern; 22 grandchildren and five great grandchildren; cousins Mark Coates of Hooper, Nebraska and Wilma Bourghoss of Riverside, California; other relatives and friends.