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 Rev. Larry Fred Coates
MILLBROOK, AL-- Rev. Larry Fred Coates, age 72, passed away on Saturday, April 14, 2012. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 2:00 p.m., Coosada Baptist Church with Dr. Gerald Hallmark, Dr. Jim Graham and Dr. Travis Coleman officiating. Interment to follow in Brookside Memorial Gardens. Bro. Larry grew up in South Carolina in the 1940's. Larry was no stranger to church, at least when it came to organs. He spent the better part of 20 years working with electrical components of organs. Church became more to him than just electronics. It was where he met Carolyn, the love of his life for 49 years. In the same church where he met her, he also became a Christian at the age of 21 and was later licensed to the ministry in 1964 at Casey Creek Baptist Church, in Chesnee, SC. In 1969 he moved his family to a little suburb of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where he continued working as an organ technician while serving as assistant pastor at Davie First Baptist. It was here that he was ordained as a minister of the Gospel. In 1971 he moved his family to Graceville, FL where he attended and graduated with a degree in Theology from the Baptist Bible Institute (now Florida Baptist University). While earning his degree, he served as pastor at St. John Baptist Church near Brundidge, AL, and serviced organs in the area churches. He accepted a pastoral position at Zion Chapel Baptist Church in Elba, AL, for four years followed by Lee Street Baptist Church in Enterprise, AL, for four years. He then moved to Chatom, AL where he was pastor for 11 years at First Baptist Church. He went on to serve as Director of Missions for the Tallapoosa Baptist Association in Alexander City for 10 years. He "retired" (or so he said) to live a quiet life with Carolyn in Millbrook, AL, close to his grandkids. However, you can't keep a good pastor quiet for long and he took a position as Senior Adult Minister at Coosada Baptist Church in Coosada, AL, where he served to the day of his death. Bro. Larry had a knack for turning fishing boats into counseling sessions, hot dogs into Bible studies and ice cream into -well, ice cream was good just like it was, especially if it had chocolate on it. He was a preacher to many, a mentor to most, a friend to all, a Paw Paw to three, a husband to one, and a daddy to two. Larry would probably say that his greatest accomplishment in life has been the legacy of Jesus he leaves to all of us with one unspoken request, "Carry it on." He is now living out the rewards of an instruction he so often gave his girls, "Remember who and who's you are." God remembered who Larry was on earth: he gave up earthly crowns of fame, fortune and even health; and God remembered who's he was and welcomed Larry into Heaven with crowns of glory. We're all looking forward to that amazing reunion in Heaven. Until then, we'll "carry it on!"
Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Carolyn Coates of Elmore, AL; daughters, Sherry Lynn Haag (Chris) of Prattville, AL; Tammy Coates Loper (Eric) of Prattville, AL; sisters, Bobbie Dale Dill of South Carolina; Nadine Brown of Tampa, FL; brother, Joel "Butch" Coates (Dana) of Ronoke, VA; grandsons, Larry Haag of Prattville, AL; Mike Haag of Prattville, AL; granddaughter, Caroline Grace Lassiter of Prattville, AL; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The family will receive friends the day of the service at Coosada Baptist Church in the Fellowship Hall one hour prior to the funeral service. Pallbearers will be Chris Haag, Larry Haag, Mike Haag, Eric Loper, Jerry "Bud" Griffin and Terry Robinson.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Coosada Baptist Church Mission Trips or to Gideons International.
Brookside Funeral Home, Millbrook, AL, directing.
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal from April 19 to April 20, 2012
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