Gertrude Coates' Obituary
Gertrude Jackson Coates was born 18 June 1917 in Leesburg Virginia, daughter of the late Earnest Lynnwood Jackson and Rose Ratcliffe Jackson. She was one of eight children, four sisters Sue, Helen, Lillian, and Ann; and three brothers Richard, Edward, and Earnest Jr.
Gertrude joined in happy matrimony to the late Chester Coates in 1934. They were married for 47 years before his passing in February 1981. As a young woman she joined the Chantilly Baptist Church where she was a member over sixty years. She was an usher for many of those years. Gertrude dearly loved the Lord and the Chantilly Church and complained often at the nursing home that “she hadn’t been to church since I don’t know when”. Gertrude worked as a day worker cleaning and ironing for many years in Falls Church, Chantilly, and Fairfax Virginia until she retired in1979. After the passing of her late husband she continued to live in Chantilly and attended the Church with transportation provided by Auston and Phyllis O’Neill. In 2002 as her health began to fail, she moved to Silver Spring Maryland with her son. As her health continued to fail and with back surgery in December 2008, she was moved to the Manor Care Nursing facility where she resided until her death. In March 2001 her great great grandson Nijier was born. As he grew, the two of them quickly became play pals. She affectionately referred to him as “little man” as they played and tickled one another. While at the nursing home she would always ask “how is little man” doing? Gertrude was called Mama Gertie by family and friends alike, and will be fondly remembered as “Mama Gertie”.
She leaves to cherish her memory 3 children, Blanche V. Wood, Chester L. Coates, and Ann E. Scott; one daughter in-law Charlotte A. Coates; two sister in-laws Phyllis C. O’Neill and Gonevia O. Coates; one brother in-law Frank Soares. 10 grandchildren Michael Wood, Patricia Wood, David Wood (deceased), Victoria Wood, Almayna Coates, Tina Newman, Carlotta Coates, Kendall Coates, Irving Scott (deceased), Sandra Bryant. 19 great grandchildren April Coates, Shameca Coates, Toni Newman, Lindsey Newman, Irving Scott Jr., Isiah Scott, Sharone Lucas, Kendra Coates, Jason Coates, Angel Scott, Wesley Scott, Lewis Irving, Halle Wood, Yazmine Wood, David Wood Jr, Derek Wood, Kevin Corbin, Jordan Wood, Simone Sutton. 7 great great grandchildren Nijier Coates, Anajah Coates, Myajar Coates, Jaiden Lucas, Oliver and Dillon Coates(identical twins), Malekhi Wood, Isiah Eaton, Wesley Scott and a host of nieces and nephews.
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