The Reverend Boyce Coates
Southern Baptist Minister
Story furnished by Clarence Crocker
The Reverend Boyce Coates, a native of Glendale was one of the thirteen children of Frances Marion and Nettie Cornelia Lominark Coates. (See The Coates Family.) Like his parents and siblings, Boyce was a former employee of Glendale Mills and a former member of the Glendale Baptist Church from which he left to enter the Ministry. He was educated in the Glendale School, a graduate of The Textile Industrial Institute and Wofford College of Spartanburg, S. C. He was a member of the Forest View Masonic Lodge A.F.M. where he received his 50 year pin.
Rev. Coates married Miss. Violet Jackson, a Union native who stood faithfully by him as a dear wife and helpmate during all his fifty years in the ministry. They were a loving, gentle and kind couple and were loved dearly by their home community and the Churches in which they ministered.
Excerpts from the Obituary of Rev. Boyce Coates published Monday, October 30, 1989;
“The Rev. Boyce G. Coates, 80, of Foxfire Apartments, Spartanburg, S. C., died October 29, 1989 in Beaumont Army Hospital, El Paso, Texas while on a visit.
He had served as Pastor at Philadelphia Baptist Church at Pauline, S. C. and the West Springs Baptist Church, West Springs, South Carolina, the years of 1941-46. He served in the Army as a Captain in the Chaplain Corps during WW2. He returned from serving as Chaplain and served as Pastor of the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Spartanburg and the Diamond Hill Baptist Church in Statesville, N. C. Returning to Spartanburg, he served as Pastor of the West Main Street Baptist Church from which he retired from active ministry.
He continued to serve churches as Interim Pastor; Buck Creek, Mayo; Friendship, Pauline; Bethesda Baptist, Spartanburg and Philadelphia Baptist in Pauline where he celebrated his 50 years in the ministry.He was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Spartanburg at the time of his death.
Besides his wife, survivors were; two sisters, Faye C. Wood and Peggy Huff, both of Spartanburg; a brother, Jack Coates of Drayton and a number of nieces and nephews. Interment was in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens”.
Excerpts from the Obituary of Mrs. Violet J. Coates, published Wednesday, November 18, 1998;
“Mrs. Violet Jackson Coates, 91, died November 16, 1998 in Magnolia Place, Spartanburg. A native of Union, she was the widow of Rev. Boyce Coates. She was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church. Following the war, she served faithfully alongside of her husband as he served three Churches as Pastor, 12 as Interim Pastor. Graveside services to be held at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Survivors were several nieces and nephews.”
Writer’s note; I have known the Marion Coates family all of my life. They were wonderful people, warm and kind to everyone. They were loved by the community. Faye, Boyce’s sister first married my cousin who was killed in a terrible work accident. (See Elmond Earl Crocker.) During the week of November 22, 1963 when President Kennedy was shot and killed in Texas, it was our joy and privilege to have Rev. Coates with us in revival in Union where I was serving as Pastor of the Fairview Baptist Church. It was a solemn, sobering experience to say the least. Rev. Coates did a wonderful job and we had a great revival.
Obituaries courtesy of the Spartanburg County Library.
Clarence E. Crocker, August, 2013
This web site has been started as a public service to share the story of Glendale. See more information about Mary and her Glendale connection at Mary McKinney Teaster.