Extracted from The Caldwell Watchman-Progress (Columbia, LA)
Wednesday, January 31, 1979

Norman D. Coates, Jr.

The funeral of Norman D. Coates, Jr., of Lafayette was held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Riser & Son Funeral Home Chapel, Columbia, with the Revs. Claude Crotwell and Eugene Kimble officiating. Burial was held in Welcome Home Cemetery near Grayson.

Mr. Coates died Thursday in an automobile accident in Iberville Parish.

Mr. Coates was a native of Columbia, Louisiana, and a graduate of Caldwell Parish High School, 1969. He was employed as a Directional Supervisor for Eastman Whipstock, Lafayette, Louisiana.

Mr. Coates was a member of the United Methodist Church of Columbia.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Teresa Branch Coates, Lafayette; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman D. Coates, Sr., Columbia; one brother, Ronnie Coates, Lafayette; one sister, Mrs. Suzanne Bailes, Pasadena, Texas; paternal grandmother, Mrs. Flora Coates, Columbia; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Rollins, Angelton, Texas.

Pallbearers were Dr. Russ Cummings, Jr., Jim Sherman, Jr., Bob Meredith III, Paul Wilkins, Steven Sherman, Donnie Williams, Johnny Parker, and Jimmy Slater.

Honorary pallbearers were the classmates of Caldwell Parish High School and Employees of Eastman Whipstock.