Lola Mae Jones Coates

Lola Mae Jones Coates, a resident of Mountain Brook, born December 31st, 1927, passed away on May 8th, 2012. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Lester Dean Coates, Jr., her parents, Frederick Sheppard Jones Sr. and Lola Mae Wood Jones, and her brother Frederick Sheppard Jones, Jr.

Lola Mae graduated from Phillips High School in Birmingham, AL. She continued her education at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY where she obtained a degree in Drama and received wide recognition for her original choreography both at her alma mater and for her off-broadway Productions in New York City.

Upon returning to Birmingham, she joined her mother's teaching staff at Lola Mae Jones School of Dance, later renamed Steeple Arts Academy of Dance. Lola Mae became extremely active in Town and Gown Theatre where she staged, choreographed and danced in numerous musicals. As one of the founders of the Birmingham Civic Ballet, she created what she considered her most important work, the Ballet "Legend of the Valley". With Steeple Arts Ballet Company, Lola Mae created scores of original ballets which were performed throughout the Southeast. Her creative works won for her five Festival of Arts Awards for Choreography and the first Obelisk Award for Dance. She was also Choreographer for the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City.

After her mother's death, Lola Mae Coates became Director of Steeple Arts. Her passion was to instill in her dancers grace and poise as well as love and respect for the art of dance. She always encouraged her students to "hold their heads high, have self confidence, and be proud of themselves".

Lola Mae was a member of The Ballerinas and Gaieties Dance Clubs, Civiettes, Canterbury Methodist Church, The Club and Birmingham Country Club.

Survivors include daughters: Holly Coates Brown, Cherry Coates Counts (Randy) of Seneca, SC., and Deanny Coates Hardy (Sanford); granddaughters: Lt. Trier Brown Kissell-USN (Andrew), Britta Lankford Brown, Whitney Jones Brown, Sierra Moore Brown, 2nd Lt. Callie Wood Brown-USAF, and Kendall Caroline Leslie; grandsons: Nicholas Dean Leslie and Douglas Howard Leslie; great grandsons: Levi Douglas Kissell and Drew Holland Kissell; by her beloved nieces and nephews: Allen Jones-Halli (Bob), Alma Jones O'Neal (Carlton), Minette Jones Loveless (Scott), Shep Jones (Darci) and Quentin Jones; and by her special Steeple Arts girls "The Troopers".

The family extends heartfelt appreciation to the caregivers for their compassion and loving care for "Mrs. C".

Family and friends are invited to celebrate her life at Steeple Arts from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday May 13th, 2012. A Memorial Service will be held at Canterbury United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. Monday May 14th, 2012.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Counseling (1025 Montgomery Hwy #214, Birmingham AL 35216) or National Dance Institute : Center for Learning and the Arts (217 West 147th Street, New York, NY 10039).

Online condolences may be made at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com.