Paul Edward Coakley was born on August 8, 1953 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Always an early riser, it’s not surprising that he arrived 2 months early, earning him an admission to the Neonatal ICU.
He spent his early childhood in Detroit, with his mother Alvilda Fisher, his father Paul Coakley and his 7 older siblings, Bobby, Alma Catherine, Mae Frances, Gwendolyn, Elma Dean, James, and Paula. He later found himself as an older brother, for the first time, to a younger sister Wanda. Around the age of 9, he moved to Gallatin, Tennessee to live with his aunt Irene Coakley, uncle Joseph Coakley and younger sister Deborah. He graduated from Gallatin High School in 1971, shortly after his school was integrated. Unsurprisingly, he was voted the “friendliest student” by his fellow seniors. He obtained his associated degree from Volunteer State Community College and both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Middle Tennessee State University. After college, he first started working as an English teacher at Holloway High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
In 1973, he married the love of his life, Carlus, in Gallatin, Tennessee. In 1976, Paul and Carlus welcomed their oldest son, Paul Coakley Jr. In 1980, Paul moved his family from Murfreesboro, Tennessee to Portland, Oregon and, the very next year, their youngest son Brian was born. Shortly after arriving in Oregon, Paul and Carlus were warmly welcomed into the congregation at Mount Olivet Baptist Church. During the next 41 years, he served at Mount Olivet as an usher, a deacon, a life group leader and as the fellowship ministry director. Most recently, he was serving as a teacher for weekly Bible-study classes.
As an educator, Paul dedicated his life to the teaching and mentoring of young people. After working for several years as a teacher at Harriet Tubman Middle School, he was later promoted to Vice Principal and later Principal. After ten years as the principal there, he later worked as the principal of Roosevelt High School and, later, Gresham High School before retiring in 2002. As a school leader with a heart for kids and a passion for his community, he touch the lives of many and left a legacy of academic excellence, high expectation and achievement. Despite retiring, he continued to work over the next two decades as both an on-call substitute principal as well as a mentor for the next generation of school administrators in the Portland area.
Paul loved God. He loved his family. He loved people. He simply loved life. The conversations that he had with those around him varied from figuring out the best movie on Netflix, to concocting the best trade that his beloved Trailblazers could make, to swapping restaurant recommendations, to comforting those who were sick or grieving, to everything else in between. He just loved speaking to people and getting to know their story, regardless of who they were or how they came into his life. To see him encourage a random young person to “keep working hard in school” or tapping the shoulder of a stranger in a restaurant to say that he was “being a good father to his kids” was not at all uncommon. Selflessness was not an attribute of his, it was his absolute essence.
His smile was heart warming, his laughter was infectious and his voice was booming. The only thing larger than his heart was his personality. He gave his time, wisdom, effort and energy to others with every chance he had. He never stopped giving to others and his career in education ensures that his legacy will keep giving for decades to come.
He is survived by his loving wife, Carlus; his sons Paul Jr and Brian; his daughter-in-law Shema; and his six beautiful grandchildren Azaria, Paulie, Mia, Samia, Kian, and Zara. He is also survived by his extended family, his family at Mount Olivet Baptist Church and the entire Portland community, of which he was so proud to be a member.
You are able to attend service in person or watch online at:
https://www.mtolivet.com/watch
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.2