Lynn William Coates, 84, longtime area resident passed away on September 1, 2020, in Fort Morgan, Colorado.  He was born in Moberly, Missouri, on September 28, 1935.  His parents moved back to Colorado when he was 6 months old.  He attended kindergarten in Denver, first grade in Grand Junction, and grades 2 – 12 in Longmont, graduating from Longmont High School in 1953.

While in high school Lynn lettered in basketball 3 years, played in two state tournaments, finishing 5 ^th and 3rd, and was elected captain of the basketball team his senior year.  Longmont played in the AA division which was the highest classification at that time.  They played in the Northern Conference which consisted of Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Englewood High School, each town having only one high school at that time. He also lettered in track where he was a pole vaulter and threw the discus.

As a 9 ^th grader Lynn set a pole vault record in a meet with Loveland, Longmont, and Greeley at the Greeley High School track using his bamboo pole and landing in a sawdust pit, and that record was not broken until 35 years later using a fiberglass pole that would bend and then propel the vaulter upward.  But in the 1950-51 school year, early in the track season of his Sophomore year he dislocated a knee pole vaulting when he landed wrong in the sawdust pit.  Because he had dislocated both knees and both ankles by that time his Doctor told him he should give up pole vaulting.  So that is when he decided to become a discus thrower.

Lynn also enjoyed playing fast pitch softball and American Legion baseball.  Longmont's summer recreation program allowed him to start learning all of the positions as well as playing in games beginning at the age of 8.  He played fast pitch softball every summer until entering Military Service.  Upon returning from the Army, Lynn began playing on a traveling Softball team from Longmont playing games all over Colorado.  In 1958 the traveling team was chosen to represent Colorado in the National Invitational Softball Tournament at Fort Madison, Iowa.  In baseball he played on Longmont's C Legion, B Legion, and A Legion teams, where he was a pitcher and played first base.

After high school Lynn attended Colorado A&M College in Fort Collins for 2 quarters and Colorado State Teachers College for the 3 ^rd quarter, to finish his freshman year.  Because he had used all of the money he had saved and his parents couldn't afford to pay for another year, he volunteered for the Draft and was drafted into the United States Army in 1954.  After completing his basic trainings, at Fort Ord, California and Fort Bliss, Texas, he spent 2 years stationed in Germany, with the 73 ^rd Ant-Aircraft Artillery Battalion.  While in Germany he took advantage with his leave time to travel throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, and Holland.

After being discharged in 1956 he returned to Colorado State College (now UNC) and as a walk-on made the CSC basketball team.  He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from CSC in 1959 and his Master of Arts Degree in 1962 in Secondary School Administration, also from CSC.  He did further graduate work at Arizona State University, Western State, and the University of Wyoming.

Lynn was a teacher and coach in Wyoming from 1959 – 1962 with his team's best finish being 2 ^nd in  conference,  2 ^nd in the Conference tournament,  2 ^nd in the District tournament, 3 ^rd in the State tournament and ranked 2 ^nd in the state by the Cheyenne and Scottsbluff newspapers.  He left Wyoming to become an assistant coach at Tempe Union High School in Tempe, Arizona in 1962.

In 1965 he was married to Rita Frances Lauderbaugh in Ogallala, Nebraska. They were married for 46 years before she passed away in 2011.  Lynn and Rita had 2 sons, Todd Coates of Fort Morgan who was Lynn's caregiver for 8+ years, and Matthew Coates (wife Leigh) of Auburn, CA, and 3 grandchildren, Melissa Lilly (husband Fred) of Tucson, Arizona  and Ian and Brandon Coates of Auburn, CA.

In 1967 Lynn took the position as Principal of Greybull High School, Greybull, WY. This is where Todd and Matthew were born.  In 1970 Lynn returned to teaching and coaching taking a position in the Junior High School (grades 7 – 9) in Fort Morgan, CO.  He taught Algebra and General Math and coached basketball.

In 1977 Lynn decided, after 18 years in the field of Education, to leave and go into something different.  He obtained his real estate license in 1977 and worked 7 years for the Stan Paynter Agency being broker of the Fort Morgan office.  In 1984 he became the sales trainer and fulltime Broker Associate for Coldwell Banker, Realty Group and Associates in Fort Morgan.  In 1989 when the Realty Group closed their doors, he opened Coates Realty, Inc. and was Broker/Owner until 2012 when he sold the business.  In all, he spent 35 years in real estate.

Lynn and his wife Rita were members of St. Helena Catholic Church since 1970 and were both Lectors together for 25 years, Eucharistic Ministers for 3 years, and Lynn played guitar for the guitar masses for 5 years.

He was President of the Fort Morgan Board of REALTORS twice, was voted REALTOR of the Year twice, and served as a Colorado Association of REALTORS Director for 16 years.

Lynn is a Lifetime Member of Elks Lodge #1143 having been a member for 63 years and also a Lifetime member of the VFW.

Lynn is also survived by his and Rita's adopted East African family of Michael Lubembela and Mawazo Samwele and their children Lili, Sabex, Thierry, Peter, Cleveland, Joyce, Espoir, Esau and Jacob of Denver.  He is also survived by his in-laws, Peggy Beattie, Alyce and Ed Jolovich, Sherry and Hubert  Leary, John and Kay Lauderbaugh, and Carol Coates, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Lynn was preceded in death by his wife Rita, his mother Ruth Brennan, his grandmother Jennie Lewis, his brother Wayne Coates, his stepfather Mike Brennan, all of his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and 1 cousin, Joyce.

Visitation at The Heer Mortuary will be on Tuesday, September 8 ^th , 2020 from 4-6 PM followed with Recitation of the Holy Rosary.  Mass of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday, September 9 ^th , 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Helena Catholic Church in Fort Morgan.  Interment will follow in Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers please consider giving a donation to the American Cancer Society, 2255 S. Oneida, Denver, CO 80224, or the Charity of your choice.