My Father was born to Thomas and Ellen Coates October 6,1927 in              Cahoma Texas. He was one of seven children. Four Boys and Three Girls
He came to California in the Summer of 1952, Where
     He got a job working anywhere and everywhere. He was a hard     worker.

He met my Mom not long after moving here. She was working at the
local Woolworth Store. She was a waitress there. He would come in
everyday for lunch. At that time waitresses were not aloud to keep
their tips. My Dad would call her around to the side of the table and
  he would slip a Quarter or whatever change he had into her shoe. My
Mom said that there were many night she went home with blisters on
the bottom of her feet because of the coins in her shoes. There was a
local revival in town and so my Mom, Being the good Christian she
was, And the fact she thought my Dad was handsome. Invited him .

Now at this time the chairs in the Tent Revivals had the slats through
the back. If you have been in Church for a while, You know the kind.
My Dad said that my Mom would reach through the slats and pull his
jacket out and then pick it up, Tap him on the shoulder, And say ,
   "Here Tom you dropped this", Of course My Mom denies this. But as m y
   Dad says, "Exactly how many times can one drop a jacket in one night"
 

March 14, 1953 My Dad married my Mom. My Mom was 16 years old at
the time. My Dad was 25 at the time. My Moms Dad paid for the
     marriage license, One Dollar. My Parents had their first child
May 9,1954. They had their last child July 2, 1977. A total of ten
    kids. Eight girls and two boys. One boy and one girl died at birth.                  Leaving eight kids. My parents raised them all in Church. There was no    excuse for not going. If you were sick, You went and got prayed for.

My parents owned many businesses of the course of their marriage.
They owned a Grocery store, Auto garage and a Souvenir shop,
Just to name a few. At the same time My Father was also working
full time at other Jobs, They also owned a construction business.
My Father also was with the Acme Company that helped build,
Exchecker Dam, Don Pedro and a few others. My Father was a
Foreman on the job. Had many guys under him. He would work
16 hour days, Come home and relieve my Mom from the store,
sleep a few hours, Then go back to work. Do it all over again.

My Father was Associate Pastor to different Pentecostal and Assembly of
     God Churches all over Central and Northern California. He worked  and
     built Churches all over California. A few out of state as well.
     All that he done, Was for furthering the Kingdom of God.
 

In August of 1997 My Father became ill. He was diagnosed with
Congestive heart failure. He was put to bed for a few months. He
  recovered enough to go back to work driving truck for a local company.
The he got sick again, We moved so that he could be closer to his doctor,
which was 47 miles away. He was in and out of the hospital over the
next year and a half. One night while sitting on his bed talking with him
he collapsed in my lap. Not responding to anything. We called 911
they rushed him to the hospital. His blood sugar registered over 1200.
He was diagnosed with Diabetes. Which two of his daughters also have.
He was also diagnosed with Emphysema. But my Dad never smoked a
day in his life. Was do to second hand smoke and working with cement.

My Dad also recovered from that. God healed him enough to go back to
work. At the age of 71 years old, My Dad was working nine hour days
   at a Electric Company, Welding and doing anything else they had for him.
On October 6, 1998, His Birthday, My Dad came in from work and said
that he didn't feel good at all. A piece of the equipment had fallen on his
foot at work. He could hardly walk his foot was swollen so bad, He had
  to cut down the side of his shoe to get it off. That night was prayer meeting
and he didn't go. Which was very unusual, My Dad never stayed home
from Church. My nephews and I went onto Church. We went for a soda
afterwards. We pulled into the drive way to find our Pastors car, The
Associate Pastors Truck as well as the Bishop of our Organization's
car. The Associate Pastor had my Dad in his arms and was running out
to his truck. The Pastor came out to us and said we think he has had a
stroke. We are headed to the hospital go ahead we will meet you there.
My Dad did have a stroke and spent 10 Days in the hospital, And 17 Days
in the rest home. After which my Mom told the Doctor she was taking him home. My Dad lost most of his memory, Not the long ago  memory, But
the here and now memory, Along with just common sense. But he did
well, except for his sleeping pattern. Which he slept during the day, And
stayed awake at night. It was hard on us all. Especially my Mom.

On March 10, 1999 at 5:00 a.m. my Dad had another stroke. My Mom
once again called 911 and once again they rushed him to the hospital.
He was having a hard time breathing and just wasn't himself. He did ok
for a few days but some how we knew and so did he, That he would never
come home again. On March 13, 1999 at 8:45 p.m. My Dad passed away.
Three hours and 15 minutes before my Parents 46th wedding Anniversary.

The following Thursday, March 18, 199 we had my Fathers funeral,
His Home Going. 197 people attended my Dads funeral. His favorite
songs were sang at his funeral, "Ain't No Grave", "Just A Little While",
"I Will Meet You In The Rapture" and "The Unclouded Day". Even
though it was a funeral, It was a beautiful Church service. Some came
right close to shouting. Souls were touched through the Pastors Sermon.
One person rededicated their life to God.
 

My Father was a beautiful person. He preached all his life. Never failed
   to tell folks about God and how to be saved. He loved to listen to preaching
   and to singing. He loved to attend Concerts. One summer he drove my Mom
and I from California to Oklahoma, At Oral Roberts University, To see a
concert. McGruders, Karen Peck and New River, Gold City, Kingsmen,
and the Nelons were the groups of the night. That was my first concert
and one I will never forget. My Father drove all over for me to take me to
concerts, Drove 100 miles one way to see the Hoppers in concert, The
Speers just to mention a couple. He loved Southern Gospel Music.

He was the Father of Ten kids, Eighteen Grandchildren and Two Great
Grandchildren. He taught us all to serve God. One of his Daughters
married a Preacher and they have been Pastoring for over 9 years.
One of my Dads dreams was to see me play in a Southern Gospel Group.
And I did for a while. Then when he got up in years, We couldn't travel
as much. My Father went to every Church service we did. We were a local group. One of those that don't get paid. But it was what I wanted, And
what my Dad wanted for me. Maybe one day I can make him proud and
be in a Southern Gospel Group that tours all over, If that is Gods Will.

 My Dad is missed greatly. His smile and laughter still echoes in our minds
 One day we will meet again on the Golden Shores of Heaven. And all hurt
and tears will be wiped away. Once again hold each other in our arms.
 

We love you Daddy, You are missed beyond what you could ever imagine.
 

Special Thanks to the Doctors and Nurses at Doctors Medical Center in
Modesto California. For their help and concern through my Dads many
stays there. Your smiles and thoughts made things some what easier on
the Day of my Dads death. Your tears we will never forget, As you cried
with our Family. Thank you and the Lord Bless You.