Alan Bower Coates passed away in the early morning of October 21, 2016 at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell, Montana.
Alan was born in Casper, Wyoming on February 13, 1927 to Ella and Harley Coates, joining three older siblings, Mariella, Fred and Ruth. He was raised on the family ranch and attended schools in Casper, graduating from Natrona County High School in 1945. He served in the United States Army from October 1946 through March 1948, and was stationed overseas in Tokyo, Japan following World War II. Upon honorable discharge from the Army, he attended Montana State University in Missoula (now University of Montana) graduating in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He worked as a forester at various locations in western Montana and central Oregon from 1952 until his retirement in 1987. He continued to work part-time as a consulting forester for several years after his retirement. He was a skilled forester and well respected by his peers. He was proud of his work and always felt at home in the woods.
He married June Inez Herbert in Red Lodge, Montana on September 1, 1957. They settled in Polson, Montana where their two children, Edwin Bryan and Cara Lynn, were born and began school before moving to Thompson Falls in 1972. Summers in Montana were spent fishing for kokanee salmon on Flathead Lake and other local lakes, camping, picking huckleberries, and visiting family. In the winter, the family enjoyed skiing at Big Mountain and Schweitzer Basin. Bigger adventures included trips in the camper to Canada and a month-long trip to Alaska, driving the 1,300+ miles of gravel Alaskan Highway in their pickup and camper. In 1974, the family moved to Prineville, Oregon where Alan was employed as a timberlands manager for Brooks Scanlon, Inc., a position he thoroughly enjoyed.  Alan and June loved fishing the lakes of central Oregon for salmon and trout, as well as traveling to the Columbia River and Washington Coast seeking big coho and king salmon. They returned twice to Alaska and traveled to Australia and New Zealand as well. Alan was a gifted woodworker and craftsman, precisely and lovingly building desks, work benches, tables, M&M feeders, huckleberry pickers and other interesting items. Alan was “famous” for his excellent smoked salmon, huckleberry jam, and tasty Heirloom tomatoes.  He was a member of the Elks Lodge for many years.
After June passed away in December 1998, Alan relocated to Libby, Montana in June 2000. There he continued his hobbies, living on the banks of the Kootenai River and fishing Koocanusa Reservoir with his faithful yellow lab, Molly, prior to moving to the Flathead Valley in November 2011. Alan was a kind and gentle man with a dry sense of humor, and was loved by all wherever he lived.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife June, parents Harley and Ella Coates, sister Mariella Whitney and brother Harley Frederic Coates. He is survived by son Edwin Coates of Libby, MT, daughter Cara Sargent and her husband Glen Sargent of Kalispell, MT, sister Ruth Allison of Farmington, NM, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staffs of The Springs Assisted Living in Whitefish and Expressions at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell for their loving care of Alan during the past five years of his life, and the staff of Home Options Hospice for their outstanding care during the last two weeks.
Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org, or 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL  60601
A private service will be held by the family at a later date.

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