She was born Elsie Lillian Eixman, on May 16, 1923, in the tiny town of Ocker, near Temple, Texas, to Henry and Odelia Eixman. Her father, an immigrant from Germany, was a farmer, and her mother was a homemaker. Elsie grew up with two older brothers, William “Willie” and Walter, who both followed in their father’s footsteps in farming. But young Elsie had her sights on bigger cities and faraway places.
After she graduated from high school, Elsie bravely moved away from home in the early 1940s with her best friend, Celestine, to attend a business school for women. She had applied on her own and was accepted into the program, but she didn’t tell her parents about it until the school representative visited their home to congratulate Elsie and talk with her parents! After this initially awkward start, Elsie’s confidence and hard-working spirit bloomed at school and beyond. Her no-nonsense work ethic was recognized and awarded, and her outgoing, vivacious personality was evident then and throughout her life by teachers, employers, colleagues, friends, and everyone she encountered.
In the late 1940s, she moved to San Francisco for work. Always respectful of her parents and their concern for their “little girl” in the big city, she moved into a residential apartment for women called the Mary Elizabeth Inn. She worked in the Federal Veterans Administration Regional Office, in the Personnel Division, a great place for Elsie who was completely organized and personable.
A few years later, she married E. Ronald “Doc” Coates, an East Coast–native, who was also working and living in San Francisco. Their wedding was on August 2, 1952, in the historic Church of the Wayfarer in the beautiful coastal town of Carmel, California. They moved to a home in Mill Valley, California, and continued to commute to San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge for their jobs.
Elsie and Doc loved to travel, and they went on trips to many parts of the world throughout their years together. During the early 1960s, they acquired a motel franchise, the Tahoe City Travelodge on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, California, fulfilling a desire to work together. It was day-and-night nonstop work for both of them, which they did for several years. From there, they traveled a bit more and then decided to try the hospitality franchise again, this time on the island of Guam (about 1,500 miles east of the Philippines). They ran the Travelodge there for a few years—enjoying the warmer climate and no more Tahoe snow to shovel—until the travel bug bit again.
Between experiencing different cultures and seeing exotic sites, they would always return to the states to visit family and friends. One visit was to see friends in Sun City, Arizona. After some tours and discussions, they decided that this would be the place they’d like to settle down. So in 1972, they moved to a home in Sun City. They loved their neighbors and had many friends, and they relished hosting out-of-town visitors and impressing these new guests with their homemade “sun tea.”
Elsie’s life took a big shift in 1979 when Doc died suddenly of a massive heart attack. She also realized that due to unforeseen circumstances, she needed to return to the working world for a few more years. So after a time of grieving, she got a job at the Department of Agriculture. She worked hard and got back on her feet and was able to save, invest, and plan more for her own retirement than ever before. When she finally retired, she traveled once again, with her still-best-friend Celestine as well as other friends.
Around 2002, she decided to sell her Sun City home and move into the retirement community Freedom Plaza in Peoria, Arizona. She enjoyed living in closer proximity to so many people, being able to share meals together, and having an array of planned activities and events. She volunteered on the greeting committee for several years, putting her hospitality skills to use; so whenever someone new moved into Freedom Plaza, Elsie was part of the team to help them feel welcome. For most of the rest of her years, she enjoyed daily early morning walks, talking with friends in person and by phone, attending church services, watching Arizona Diamondbacks baseball games and the news, and not having to cook!
Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her two brothers. She had no children of her own but was the beloved godmother of Alice and Patrick, whose parents were dear friends whom Elsie introduced back in the 1950s. Elsie was not only a second mother and lifelong friend to her godchildren and their families, she was a special and loyal friend to many people over the years. She showed gratitude and love toward friends and staff who cared for her so well—many “adopted” her, others she “adopted.” She was loved dearly, and she will be missed.
The urn with her remains will be laid to rest next to that of her late husband, E. Ronald Coates, at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City, Arizona. There will not be a memorial gathering. Please celebrate Elsie’s life in your own way—perhaps in prayer, on a walk, with a toast, or watching an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game. If you wish to share any thoughts or stories about Elsie with us, you are most welcome to do so.
Please feel free to leave your memories of her here as well.
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