George Raymond Coles

1922 - 2015

GEORGE RAYMOND COLES
Jun. 21, 1922 - Jan. 20, 2015
Point Richmond, CA
Born June 21, 1922 in San Jose, CA the only child of George R. Coles Sr. and Tillie Levin, George died on January 20, 2015, surrounded by his family and friends at his home in Point Richmond, CA. George was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 54 years, Corrine; his son, Scott; his daughter-in-law, Stephanie; his daughter Deborah (Shane); and his second wife, Barbara. George is survived by his granddaughter, Indra Coles; her husband, Vivek Uniyal; his great grandchildren, Surya and Jake; his second wife, Barbara's, daughter and granddaughter, Danna Cordoba and Marina Godinez; and by his caring companion, Patricia Pearson.
George grew up in interesting times, fueling in him a strong sense of both justice and service. At 13, he ran away to join the Abraham Lincoln Brigade though he only made it halfway across the country (to a chapter he'd heard would take 13 year old volunteers) before he was picked up by police and sent home. As a young man, he organized protests against the internment of his Japanese-American friends and neighbors. Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the army to fight in World War II. An army sergeant in the Pacific Theater of that war, George was a medic and involved in the liberation of American Prisoners of War at Cabanatuan and in counseling imprisoned American Nurses freed in Santo Tomas.
After the war, George completed his B.S. and M.S. in Psychology at San Jose State College, continuing on to Stanford University for a Doctorate in Behavioral Psychology. Leaving Stanford before defending his thesis, George joined Contra Costa Community College (CCC) in 1953, where he served as a guidance counselor and psychology professor. Later earning an M.S. in Anthropology from U.C. Berkeley, George expanded the Contra Costa College's offerings in Anthropology, and opened an archaeological laboratory, museum and crew staffed by students, which began work right off the coast of Richmond at Brooks Island, eventually, working sights across the greater Bay Area.
George was among the founding members of the California Society for Archaeology; and, with a strong backing in the Native American community, he was instrumental in forming the California Native American Commission, which drafted legislation to protect Native American archeological sites in California. Many of George's students went on to careers in anthropology, and all of his hundreds of students were welcome, lifelong friends.
After he retired from CCC, George continued to curate the college's unique and exciting anthropological museum, until the college closed it to make room for classrooms. George moved on to work as professor emeritus in Anthropology at California State University at San Francisco, to give interviews and write articles about his work on Brook's Island, and participating in establishing an exhibit on local indigenous groups soon to open at the Richmond Museum
George served on the Board of Directors of the Richmond Museum (where his work will soon be on display). He later became a docent and member of the crew of the Red Oak Victory Ship.
George loved to dance to the live music at the San Pablo Senior Citizen Dance Group; he loved to travel and had a lifelong love of cars (his first was a Model A). He will be missed by all the neighborhood dogs who begged for, and received, daily dog biscuits. The family would like to thank the great hospice care George received from Kaiser Permanente, especially the care and support given by Kevin Cushshon.
Donations in George's memory can be made to the Red Oak Victory Foundation, the Richmond Arts Council, and the Sierra Club.
An event celebrating George's life will be held at a future date.