The first mayor of Carpinteria and retired U.S. Army colonel, Allan R. Coates, Jr., died Feb. 9, 2010 in San Diego County after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 79. A former teacher, high school counselor, coach and city manager, Coates was a dedicated public servant in Carpinteria and Fillmore.
Allan was born in Oakland and raised in Porterville. He moved to Santa Barbara to attend UCSB and enlisted with Santa Barbara’s 981st Field Artillery Battalion in the 40th Infantry Division of the California Army National Guard. He was called to active duty in the Korean War from 1950 – 52. Coates continued his military service with the National Guard and U.S. Army reserve for 41 years, attaining the rank of colonel. He retired from the service in 1991 and later became quartermaster of the VFW post in Fillmore.
Coates held a political science degree from UCSB and master’s in education from USC. He was a teacher and coach in the Fillmore High School District in 1960-61, moving to the Carpinteria Unified School District in 1962. While teaching government and coaching basketball, Coates became involved in the movement to incorporate Carpinteria. In 1965, he was elected to the first city council and was appointed mayor. He remained on the council for seven years and was named Carpinteria Man of the Year in 1967.
Following a yearlong tour of active duty at the Army’s Command and General Staff College in Kansas, Coates became city manager of Carpinteria. He held that position for 18 years before moving to Fillmore to become assistant city manager and finance director. He retired from full-time city service in 1996, receiving numerous commendations for his work, including a resolution from the California Legislature.
Survivors include his daughter, Rebecca Coates Nee, and granddaughter, Nikki, of San Diego; sisters and brothers-in-law Barbara and Dan Lublin of Visalia and Nadine and Francis Muller of Nicasio; a niece and numerous nephews and cousins.
A graveside service is planned for 11 a.m., Feb. 19 at Carpinteria Cemetery, followed by a reception. Donations in Allan’s memory may be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of Carpinteria, or a local hospice.
A memorial Web site with a guest book has been created at http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/allancoates.