Obituary
COATES, Donald Glenwood
1943 – 2019
Don passed away suddenly at the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital, in Bracebridge, on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at age 76. Beloved husband of Helen Coates of Bracebridge. Loving father of Julie (Rick), Sherri (Steve) & Susie (Morgan). Step-father to Tammy & John (Jess). Proud grandfather of Tyler, Chad, Samantha, Elizabeth, Caleb, Jake, Michayla, Jaxon, Russell, Rowan, Sydney, Skylar, Leith & Harris. Great grandfather of Lucas, Abigail & Octavia. Dear brother of Janis (Jim). Survived by niece Ashley (Chris) and great niece Brycie.
Friends will be received at Reynolds Funeral Home, Bracebridge, on Monday, December 30, 2019 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. A funeral to celebrate Don’s life will be held at Pinegrove Fellowship Church on Saturday, January 11, 2020. The time of the service is yet to be determined.
Memorial donations made to honour Don, can be directed to the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation or to Pinegrove Fellowship Church. Messages of condolence can be offered to the family at www.reynoldsfuneral.com
To send flowers to Don’s family, please visit our floral section.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Don Coates December 21 2019..
Death notice for the town of: Bracebridge, Province: Ontario
Helen Coates and family,
I am very sad to hear of Don’s passing. I have had the honour of knowing Don for over 40 years as we were both in the waste industry. I was on the OWMA board while Don was the Chairman. In fact, it was Don who recommended me to be the next Chairman.
I will always remember Don’s advice to me. He said, “Carl, as Chairman it’s your responsibility to represent the best interest of the Industry first, ahead of your own company.” For everyone who knew Don, he practiced that same theory whether in the waste industry or his political career and his personal life.
Don and I enjoyed many meetings, conferences and a number of very memorable boat trips in his beautiful antique boats. We also shared our proud northern heritage, Don with Muskoka Containerized Service and myself with Wasteco. Don would often say he was just a little hauler from Muskoka and I was just a garbage man from Magnetawn.
I wish I could have had one more conversation with Don to tell him face-to-face how important he was to me. He will be missed but he did his share to make things better while he was here.
Carl Lorusso