Reverend George Melvin Coates, passed away Thursday, July 28, 2022 at his residence. Funeral will be held Thursday, August 4, 2022 at 1 pm Centenary United Methodist Church 2300 West Friendly Avenue Greensboro, North Carolina. 12 pm Visitation. Burial will follow at Lakeview Memorial Park.
Professional service entrusted to Perry J. Brown Funeral Home.
Rev. George Melvin Coates was born in Cleveland County, NC on Nov. 4, 1953, to George Washington Coates and Bertha Mae Briscoe Coates.
George Coates was educated in the Cleveland County School System graduating from Burns High School in 1971 with honors. After graduation he was nominated for and attended the 1971 Cohort of North Carolina Governor's School, after which he matriculated to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at Carolina, he was involved in several areas of student life. He took pride in being a member of the charter line of the Psi Delta Chapter Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Not long after graduation, he was employed by Northwestern Bank of Carrboro, NC. He then met and began courting Carrboro Police Officer Phyllis Ophelia Knight. They married Nov. 5, 1977. While Phyllis worked as a member of Law Enforcement, George continued his education at his beloved UNC and enrolled in the now, Kenan-Flagler Business School in 1981, where he received a master’s degree in business. As he earned his master’s degree, he gained employment with NCNB bank in Charlotte, NC. Subsequently, he moved to Greensboro, NC and served as the manager for Greensboro National Bank, NC. In January of 1983 George and Phyllis were blessed by the birth of their son George Marcell Coates. In 1987 George gained employment with the United Way of Greensboro as the Chief Operations Officer and remained employed with them for the next 15+ years. After leaving the United Way of Greensboro, he obtained the position of Chief Financial Officer for Triangle United Way of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, where he remained for seven years. He remained in the Non-Profit sector with his service to Moses Cone Hospital in the early 2000’s. After leaving Moses Cone Hospital, All the while God was tugging on his heart. He answered his call to ministry in 2007 and entered professional ministry shortly, thereafter, taking a true leap of faith. Forever the student, he enrolled at Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, NC and obtained his master’s in Divinity in 2011. His first pastoral appointment was Raleigh’s Cross Road and United Methodist Church where he served as his wife’s assistant (smile). Six months later, he was appointed to Triad UMC, Laughlin UMC, Newland St. UMC, and Hickory Grove UMC, where he served until his health declined.
George was not only a man of business, but also a man of faith. He loved God first, then his family and friends. He was devoted to his congregations and volunteered his services to many nonprofit organizations in the county of Guilford. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, son, and grandfather. (Also known as Opa) He will truly be missed.
He leaves to mourn his loving and devoted wife of almost 45 years, Rev. Phyllis K Coates, son Rev. George Marcell Coates (Keita) of Rocky Mount, NC; grandchildren Peter Emanuel and Alana Patience Coates also of Rocky Mount, NC; Siblings: Anne L. Vinson (Eugene) of Lawndale, NC, Lewis Coates (Maxine) of Clinton, Maryland, Lois C. Pullen of Valrico, FL., Daisy M. Ward (Johnny) of Shelby, NC and a host of nieces, nephews, in-laws, and other relatives and friends.
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