Pastor Cecil Gray Coates

Cecil Gray Coates (Pastor Cecil), 92, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on June 17, 2024 at his home in Providence, North Carolina surrounded by his family. We love our father forever. He loved life and would have never missed an opportunity to serve the Lord with all his heart and share God’s word so all would accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and have everlasting life. He was the son of Callie William Coates and Nellie Mason Coates, both of Brookneal and Nathalie, Virginia. He is survived by his sister, Brenda and Gary Perkins of Roxboro, North Carolina, and wife, Carolyn Hilliard. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Margaret Carver Coates of Providence, North Carolina, brothers, Roy Coates and Carroll Coates, and sisters, Myrtle Carver and Louise Shepard all of Roxboro, North Carolina. Pastor Cecil was called to preach at the young age of 16 years. He and his buddy, John Murray, began holding revivals when he was 17 and John 15 years. These men were called to preach the Word of God and as years went by, Pastor Cecil gave over 76 years of his life to preaching the gospel. Soon after holding revivals and preaching God’s word, Pastor Cecil was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1950. He started his journey to defend the great United States of America in the Korean War. He became a paratrooper and a soldier who was put on the front line in battle. He was a God-fearing young man who made many friends while in the war, and as a soldier who would never leave anyone behind, his war buddies saved him after being confronted in a foxhole while staring at the end of a Korean soldier's rifle. Fortunately, the Korean soldier’s rifle jammed, and his comrades jumped into the foxhole to save his life. God had a plan for Pastor Cecil that involved being a servant to help rescue all who found themselves in the foxholes of life. As a soldier of the war and now a soldier for Christ, his goal continued to be, to leave no one behind. During this time, Pastor Cecil was enamored with the love of his life, Margaret Cora Carver of Roxboro, North Carolina. He always said he had to move fast because she was so beautiful, and the other boys were trying to move in on his territory. They were married in December of 1951 and had five children, four girls and one boy. Children surviving are Bet Coates Arnn (Carroll) of Danville, Virginia, Delores Coates Wilkinson (Pete) of Stovall, North Carolina, Cecil Gray Stephen Coates of Asheboro, North Carolina, and Mary Ann Franklin, foster-daughter of Rego Park, New York. Previously deceased are Kay Coates Bolynn (Billy) of Danville, Virginia, and Elaine Coates Poythress (Marion) of Patrick Springs, Virginia. Pastor Cecil and Margaret have 10 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. In his early ministry, Margaret’s mother, Emma Carver, would drive her children to the Pentecostal Holiness Church on Main Street in Roxboro, North Carolina to hear God’s word preached. Her husband, Charlie Wise Carver, and their children, Eunice, Edna Earl, Norma Jean, Mary Zelma, Susie, Peanut, and Doug were a blessing to him and his family. One of Pastor Cecil’s favorite hobbies was antiquing. He became a watch and clock repairman. He, his best friend, Roy Morton, and Cecil Steve would go to Boone’s Antiques in Wilson, North Carolina almost every weekend. One of his highlights was being on the American Pickers show with Mike and Frank. Catch the American Picker’s episode “Driving Miss Dani” to see Pastor Cecil wheeling and dealing. Throughout the years, Pastor Cecil pastored churches in Roxboro, NC, Graham, NC, Henderson, NC, Dry Fork, VA, Durham, NC, Valley Chapel in Virginia, and Westover Hills in Virginia. He served as the President of the Danville District Camp Meeting Association. His ministry continued by serving on the Missions and Evangelism Board and Archives Committee for the Western North Carolina Pentecostal Holiness Conference (Now called Cornerstone Conference IPHC). The family will receive friends on Friday, June 21, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Emmanuel Pentecostal Holiness Church. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow in Highland Burial Park. Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the First Pentecostal Holiness Church, Building Fund, 1810 N. Main Street, Danville, VA 24540. Our family would like to leave everyone with this, John 15:13, “Greater love hath no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Pastor Cecil devoted himself to the love of his life, Margaret, and his children. He served on the battlefield of war to protect the freedom of our great nation. One of Pastor Cecil’s fondest memories was his Radio Broadcast while pastoring in Dry Fork, Virginia. He never let a broadcast end without saying to everyone listening, “I’m praying for you.” As he is rewarded in Heaven, he will meet hundreds of people thanking him for just those prayers that saved their lives. Pastor Cecil, we miss and love you always. Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel is respectfully serving the Coates family.

Pastor Cecil Gray Coates

September 16, 1931 - June 17, 2024