Obituary

PLAINVIEW - Kenneth Coates, 72, of Plainview passed away on Sunday, October 4, 2009, in Lubbock.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., today, October 7, 2009, at First Baptist Church Sanctuary with Dr. Travis Hart of First Baptist Church and the Rev. Jack Ridlehoover, a retired minister, officiating.

Burial will follow in Plainview Memorial Park under the direction of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview.

A visitation was held from 6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 6, 2009, at the funeral home.

Mr. Coates was born November 16, 1936, in Van Zandt County, Texas to Grady Leon and Cora Mae Young Coates. He graduated from Pine Tree High School in 1955.

He married Mary Jo Brunson, August 30, 1957, in Longview.

Kenneth graduated from Baylor University in 1959 and received his Master of Church Music in 1963. He did post graduate at the University of Texas in 1968 and was a Certified Church Business Administrator.

He had been Minister of Music and Education at Eastview Baptist Church of Kilgore, Texas; FBC of Gilmer, Texas; FBC of Andrews, Texas; FBC of Levelland, Texas; and Tarrytown Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. Kenneth also was Minister of Education and Administration at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas; Willow Meadows Baptist Church of Houston, Texas.

Kenneth retired from FBC in Plainview in 2001, as Minister of Education and Administration.

In 2004 and 2005 he was the Minister of Education at KIBC Baptist Church in Hong Kong.

In 2006, he moved back to FBC of Plainview as Associate Pastor and Minister to Senior Adults. He had received the Rotarian Paul Harris Fellow Humanitarian Award in 2009.

Kenneth is survived by his wife, Mary Jo of Plainview; three daughters, Dianna Freeman and husband Dale of Abilene, Marsha Coates and special friend Connie Kersten of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Cyndy Mauldin and husband J. B. of Abilene; one brother, Dale Coates and wife Sandi of Mesquite; six grandchildren, Matt Gill of Dallas, Tanner Gill of Austin, Gus, John-Paul and Miller Mauldin all of Abilene, Micah McFarlane and wife Jamie of Galveston; one great-grandchild, Erin Leigh; three stepgrandchildren; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Nash of Burleson, Carolyn Vardeman of Hewitt, and Wynell Ogden of Smithville; and his beloved dog, Bradford.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church 205 W. 8th Street, Plainview, Texas 79072

Condolences may be made online at

www.kornerstonefunerals.com

Published in Longview News-Journal on October 7, 2009