Gary Coats Lifetime of Contributions Remembered and Loved By All

By Abby Haney

Gary Coats smiling at the camera while outside with his grill. Coats had many passions in his life and especially enjoyed being involved with the Sandy Historical Society.

Gary Coats, a longtime member of the Sandy Historical Society Board Members, passed away recently. Even at the age of 90, he continued to make an impact and be involved in the community in numerous ways. His contributions will continue to be remembered. 

Coats was an active board member at the Sandy Historical Society until 2019. Afterwards, he became an emeritus board member where he could still be involved by giving advice and detailed history of the society. Along with that, he was also the treasurer at the society for many years. 

While an active board member, Coats gave tours and was a docent at the museum. On top of that, he worked at the front desk, greeting visitors enthusiastically, and was the volunteer coordinator for a few years. Coats was involved with the society for at least 40 years and every contribution at Sandy Historical Society, from the tours to working the desk, he volunteered to do. He even made a bibliography of the books at the museum, not only because of his passion for history but also due to his love for books. 

“He loved to take people on tours of the museum,” Amstad said. 

Coats was a reader, having a passion for books of all genres. He enjoyed reading stories and being able to learn through them. 

“He was a real reader. He loved reading fiction [and] non fiction. He loved reading about history and learning about different people that made a difference in the world,” Howarth said. 

Later in life, Coats learned and loved sewing, especially in making quilts. He made complex pieces that his family enjoyed, almost as much as he did in making them. 

“He didn’t do so much hand sewing but the puzzle of putting together all the pieces and the angles, he was really good at that.” Howarth said. 

Coats grew up in Bull Run, attending Bull Run’s one room grade school with a graduating class of eight. Bull Run was important to him but its history was forgotten. In order to preserve it and share it, Coats created the Bull Run Exhibit at the Sandy Historical Society which stands today to be viewed. When the exhibit first opened, Coats gave a presentation sharing the history. 

“Gary had a love for history, collecting as much history of the Bull Run area as he could,” former board member and secretary at Sandy Historical Society, and friend of Coats, Ann Marie Amstad said. 

While attending Bull Run, Coats was taught by a teacher that became a lifelong influencer to him. She installed a love of history in him, furthering his actions in teaching and persevering history. 

“He was really proud of his roots in Sandy and I think had a really enjoyable childhood growing up here,” Lorrinda Coats Howarth, Gary Coats daughter, said. 

Bull Run Grade School graduating class of eight in 1948. Gary Coats, on the far right side, graduated alongside his fellow classmates and friends before attending Sandy High School. 

Coats was a true pioneer, attending Sandy High School. In 2017, a “100 Year Anniversary of the First Sandy High School Graduating Class” was planned by Amstad and assisted by Coats. He enjoyed working on the project and sharing the history of Sandy High. 

“He was very interested in history,” Amstad said. “He loved the area and was very involved with Sandy High School.”

Gary Coats, third man on the right, along with other teachers and students preparing to travel on the Amtrak train in 1962 for the Foundation of American Democracy tour. Coats enjoyed and did this for 20 years.

Coats also believed in helping current high school students. At the Mt Hood Festival, a corn booth is available which the Sandy Historical Society now runs, thanks to Gary. With the money they earn there, they give out scholarships to seniors at Sandy High.

“It was important for him to earn scholarships for Sandy High School students,” Amstad said. 

While Coats was a lover of history, he also had a passion for teaching. He graduated from Portland State University in Education and Lewis and Clark College with a Masters in Counseling. Coats worked for the North Clackamas School District first as a junior high teacher then as a counselor until retirement. 

“He was one of those teachers students keep in touch with,” Amstad said. “[He was] a person who loved friendships and people saw that and migrated to him.”

While being a junior high teacher at Milwaukee, Coats took eighth grade students on a tour during summertime to the east coast. He did it annually for 20 years in order to show students what they read in their history books. 

“What he wanted to do was make history come alive for his students,” Howarth said. “He loved it, every bit of it. The planning, organizing and taking those kids he loved doing that.” 

The tour, Foundations of American Democracy, was created by him and started in 1961 when he took his first group by train to Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C and New York for two weeks. He spent lots of time working on the agenda in order to make it fun but also a learning experience. 

“It was very important that it was an educational experience,” Howarth said. “He was very interested in lifelong learning.”

Coats was involved in a lot of things in his lifetime but especially at the Sandy Historical Museum. His contributions have shaped how the museum is today and won’t be forgotten. Coats was an active person who had energy to take on any task, accomplishing it with outstanding results. 

Abby Haney is the Editor-In-Chief at Sandy High School for the Pioneer Press and is a writer at large for The Sandy Historical Society.