Jimmie Leon Coates

Jimmie attended Washington Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School, Modesto High School, Modesto Junior College, and Humphrey's College School of Law. Jimmie was a self employed floor covering professional for many years until 1975 when he partnered with Bill Wright to operate Coates & Wright Floor Covering in Modesto. The business was sold and Jimmie and his wife Irene retired in 1997. Modesto residents may have seen Jimmie's floor covering work in many government buildings, homes, businesses and schools, including block letters on the floor of school entry halls. As a floor covering professional, Jimmie was well known in the central valley, later becoming a professionally certified floor covering inspector and consultant on legal and technical matters. He was active in the Builders Exchange. But his real passion was music, beginning young as a trombone player performing under Prof'' Mancini and continuing throughout his life including performing with MJC Concert Bands, local Dixieland Jazz Bands and Modesto's premiere community concert group, Modesto Band of Stanislaus County, MoBand.'' The internet describes Jimmie as one of the 642 Known washboard Players in the Universe,'' performing at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee with washboard greats Peter Babcock, Big Mama Sue and Ralph Reynolds. As a member and leader of the Modesto Dixieland Jazz Society, Jimmie performed often with Hogin's Heroes in Modesto. He even managed the 1960's rock band ''The Rookery.'' Jimmie was a Master in Smyrna Lodge 532 Free and Accepted Masons, life member of Stockton Chapter of the Scottish Rite, and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason. He was a member since 1955 of the Aahmes Shriners Chapter of Shriners International and President of the Modesto Shrine Club in 1963 serving in support of the care and treatment of children through the Shrine Children's Hospital. He participated in the Modesto Shriners Clown Troupe, helped to outfit the clowns and equip the club's vintage 1931 Ford Model A car for parades to promote Shrine charity work. He was also an active member of the Modesto Elks Lodge. Jimmie was an avid supporter of the McHenry Mansion Foundation, served on the board from 1991 to 1996and was a member of the nominating committee in 1994. Arriving in Modesto as a youngster, his love for this community began in his early years as a paperboy in the downtown area. He was instrumental in the construction of Modesto's Children's Park on the north end of Beard Brook Park on Morton Blvd in the mid 1960's. This very special park included a train engine, airplane, fire engine, fun house, lion's head drinking fountains and concrete gopher holes for hide & seek. Jimmie was preceded in death by his parents Lloyd and Georgia Coates of Modesto and sister Norma Coates Catlin of Sacramento. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Irene Coates, son Dr. Terry Coates and daughter Gail Wax of Modesto, four grandchildren; Brian, Michelle, and Michael Coates of Modesto and Nicholas Wax of Seattle, Washington, and three great-grandchildren. Services will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 2:00p.m. at Lakewood Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Hughson, California. Donation may be made to: Modesto Band of Stanislaus County, P.O. Box 577937, Modesto, CA 95357.