Laurelite Abigail Coates

Laurelite (the “t” is silent) Abigail Toppings Coates was born May 23, 1941, to William and Jeannette Toppings of Ash Valley. She passed away June 4, 2023. Laurie was 82 years old.

Laurie had three older siblings, Dale, Dean and Beverly. Her family ran a dairy farm and she attended Ash Valley Elementary School. When she was fourteen she lost her mother to cancer. She then lived with her sister in Scottsburg while attending Reedsport Union High School and graduated in 1959. After graduation, Laurie returned to the farm full time to help take care of her father, who passed away in 1965.

In 1966 Laurie married Paul Coates and they had three children, Dawn, Brian and Greg Coates. In their early years Paul and Laurie lived briefly in Alaska and Canada, but ended up coming back home where they ran a gyppo logging operation. Laurie was a bookkeeper and parts runner in addition to taking care of three kids. When they stopped logging, Laurie worked at the local Loon Lake Lodge for nearly ten years.

Throughout her life Laurie was active in community activities such as Ash Valley Grange, Ash Valley Community Service, sat on the election board and was a substitute cook at Ash Valley Elementary School when needed.

Fall was her season. She loved the vibrant colors when the leaves turned. She loved her children and was a wonderful mother. She was a kind, helpful person who never complained. She will be missed greatly.

Laurie is survived by her sister Beverly, her daughter Dawn and son-in-law Bob, son Brian, son Greg and daughter-in-law Allie and two granddaughters, Cheyenne Lindberg and Adelaine Coates.

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