Rev. Richard Samuel "Dick" Coons

Reverend Richard Samuel Coons (Dick) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, May 30, 2021. He was currently residing at Job's Way in the Kirby Pines Lifecare Community in Memphis, Tennessee. At the time of his death, Reverend Coons was 91 years of age. He was the son of Clara Grace Newline Coons and Herman S. Coons. He grew up in Casey, Illinois with his mother and 3 siblings, Garnett, Modina, and Phyllis, all of whom are deceased.

Reverend Coons is survived by his wife of 30 years, Janice Trout Milligan Coons, and his children Cheryl Beth Coons, Caryn Marie Coons, Heather Ellin Mihalic, and James Addison Milligan, and 4 grandchildren, Rachel Mihalic Lukas Milligan, Reagan Mihalic, and Owen Milligan.

A friendship with Ronald Gross at Casey High School, Illinois, helped to fund Reverend Coons to attend a summer rally for Christ. This experience influenced Reverend Coons to enroll at Bob Jones University in South Carolina to pursue a study in theology. He later received a Master's Degree from Murray State University in Psychology.

Having worked hard at farming and then the Ohio Pipe Line before attending college, Reverend Coons found himself in the big city of Rochester, New York, becoming a tremendous influence in the Youth for Christ program. His work with the many high school Bible Clubs led many teenagers to pursue careers in church work and acceptance of Christ as their Savior.

Concluding his work with teenagers, Reverend Coons relocated to Union City, Tennessee, where he became the Pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His passion for sharing the message of the Bible paved the way for many parishioners to accept Christ into their lives. It was in Union City where Reverend Coons met a youth named Jimmy Latimer and a lifelong fellowship began. Meeting up with each other years later, they found themselves working together for the benefit of providing an alternative lifestyle for the senior population in Memphis, Tennessee, with the expertise and business acumen of Charles Trammell. Kirby Pines Lifecare Community was founded.

Upon leaving Union City, Tennessee, Reverend Coons became the Pastor of the Church of the Open Door in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His ongoing desire to always take a situation and improve upon it found him working with a parishioner, Arol Fesmire, as they relocated the church to Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. As he realized a need to extend the work of the church, he facilitated the building of an elementary school on the church property. During this time, he also could be heard preaching the Word on a leading radio station in Philadelphia, and the congregation grew rapidly. As he was made aware of the deplorable living conditions for some of the elderly in nursing homes in the area, he found himself working with Mr. Fesmire once again to build a community for the senior population that would provide apartment living, nourishing meals, and a variety of activities. He named this first community Fort Washington Estates, and before it was finished, there were people waiting for acceptance to enter. The building began full time with additional communities being built--Gwynedd Estates, Springhouse Estates, Southampton Estates, Lima Estates, and Granite Farms Estates in Pennsylvania. Florida found itself with several communities also with St. Andrews North and St. Andrews South Communities and later Edgewater Point Estates all in the Boca Raton area. To the north, Vero Estates was built and became one of the ACTS Communities, (Adult Communities Total Services). North Carolina was blessed with Tryon Estates in Columbus, North Carolina, where Reverend Coons built a log house to begin retirement and a slower life pace. His ministry began with youth, Pastoring a church and community, and providing for the elderly population. Reverend Coons always believed that God was calling for his ministry to follow the road it took, but he had a sadness for having to leave the pulpit due to no more than 24 hours in a day. He never tired of seeing how he could make life better for others regardless of age, status, ethnic background, or need. Upon his retirement, he served on the Board of Kirby Pines Lifecare Community in Memphis, Tennessee.

Those who know him best can attest to his love for the Lord radiated in the way he lived his life, treated others, and responded to God's will for his life. His work provided for thousands of jobs over the years, and many, many senior people have had the pleasurable experience of living in beautiful surroundings with nourishment and activity, and friendships. He used to say that the first thing God was going to do when they met was to make him 6 feet tall. For those of us who knew him, he exceeded that height in his integrity in every part of his life.

For those of us who knew him, we hope that God gave him a new book of jokes. Our laughter at his jokes gave him great joy, because he always wanted others to be happy. His peace came from Phillipians 4:6 and 7. His integrity came from a verse in Micah 4:8.

He will be sorely missed here on Earth, but we know that the Saints in Heaven are rejoicing in his presence and laughing at his jokes.

A Celebration of his Life will be held at a later date in July 2021.

Memorials can be made in Rev. Coons honor to the "Kirby Pines Foundation, 3535 Kirby Parkway, Memphis, TN 38115

Arrangements under the direction of Brent Taylor- Paul B. McCarver Funeral Directors