Jack Coates

Jack Coates, 86, of Indianola, died April 3, 2015, at the Good Samaritan Society of Indianola.

A private graveside service will be held May 9 at Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr. Powers Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.

Jack Eugene Coates, son of Beatrice Ann (Barentsen) and Ambrose Edward Coates, was born June 24, 1928, in Audubon.

Jack graduated from Atlantic High School in 1946. He then became a lineman for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company.

In January 1951, Jack entered the United States Army and served in Korea. He received the Korean Service Medal with a Bronze Star. Corporal Coates returned to the United States and served in the Army Reserve until he was discharged in March 1957.

When Jack returned to the United States, he resumed working for Northwestern Bell. He was transferred to Mount Ayr.

On June 5, 1955, Jack married Bettye Kathryn Mahan. They settled and worked in Mount Ayr until Jack was transferred to Creston in 1963. Jack continued working for Northwestern Bell until retiring in 1985.

Jack and Bettye moved to Allen, Texas, in 1999. They returned to Iowa in 2006, and made their home in Indianola.

Jack was a member of the Catholic Church.

Jack is survived by his daughters, Becky (husband Dan) Kenealy of Liberty, Mo., Julie (husband Gary) Hill of Indianola and Amy (husband Kenneth) Groff of Farmersville, Texas; sons, Mike (wife Dianne) Coates of Indianola and Jeff (Madonna Warren) Coates of Altoona; 18 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents; wife Bettye in January of 2015; and sister LeAnn Mundorf.