- Date Of Birth: September 6, 1924
- Date Of Death: March 24, 2021
- State: Colorado
Robert Eugene Coates of Littleton, CO passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 and was taken to the welcoming arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was 96 years old. He joins his dear wife of 58 years, Mrs. Dorothy Mary Mobley Coates who passed in 2012, and a son, Daniel Coates, who died while still a child.
Bob was born in Phoenix, AZ in 1924 and learned hard work at a young age on his family’s dairy farm, rising early to milk the cows and process and deliver the milk to neighbors before school, then milking and repeating the process again each evening. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and soon found himself as captain of a B-17 Flying Fortress, 381st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, in Ridgewell, England supporting the Battle of the Bulge—bombing strategic military, industrial, and transportation targets of Nazi Germany and completing 35 bombing missions.
After leaving the Air Force he worked as the Operations Supervisor for Stapleton Airport in Denver, then the 4th busiest airport in the world. Under his careful dedication, the airport only had to close once in 15 years due to snow, and then only for 15 hours. A record not previously matched and not yet replicated at the airport in Denver.
During his lifetime he fed many, clothed many, housed many, fixed the broken lives and possessions of many and found ways to pay for college for promising young people lacking resources. He strove to be a man of God in a quiet, humble way. He has a new mission now. As in life, he will uplift the souls of many. He will not be resting in peace, he will be serving, always serving and bringing peace to those around him.
