Charles Coates

Leading as a servant, making others’ lives better. This was Charles Ronald Coates’ motto regarding his vision for Rei Lakes.

Charles R. Coates, born August 21, 1938, to George Coates and Edith (Jackson) Moore.

He served in the United States Army, received an honorable discharge, and moved to Harrisburg, PA, with family members. While living in Harrisburg, Charles worked various jobs in restaurants, golf caddy, and in manufacturing.

Later, moving to Springfield, Ohio, from Xenia, Ohio, to work at International Harvester in the trucking industry. Charles retired from International Harvester (Navistar) after over thirty (30) years of working as a laborer.

Charles and Leora were married for twenty-nine (29) years, and they lived a life of leisure, living in Kissimmee, Florida, during the Ohio Winter months. Charles and Leora returned to Ohio each Spring to reopen Rei Lakes as a paid fishing lake, resort area, and plain old family fun with fishing derbies, camping for RVs and tents.

Charles was a visionary who saw what lakes surrounded by trees, weeds, and fallen branches could be. After being laid off from International Harvester one time too many, Charlie and his friend Paul Chilton would ride around, looking for opportunities to make money. They would get lunch and choose a spot to sit, eat, and talk. One day, they saw an old gravel pit surrounded by trees, bushes, and weeds with lakes hidden behind the rubbish. Charlie spotted a battered “For Sale” sign stapled to a telephone pole on the gravel pit property. As they were getting back into their vehicle to eat lunch, a tall, burly man walked up on them, saying You fellows are trespassing, this is private property, I am the caretaker. You need to leave now, in fact, “Now Get.” After about the third time of being told to “Now Get” before I call the Sheriff and have you two arrested by the caretaker. Charlie decided to inform the caregiver that my name is Charles R. Coates, and I am now the owner of this property.

The overseer went from “Now Get” to practically pleading to continue to be the overseer. After an apology to Charles and his friend and more pleading from the caretaker, they worked out an agreement for the caretaker to remain. His hobbies were buying the latest fishing tackle, outdoor camping equipment, fishing, board games, and hosting family gatherings.

Charlie was preceded in death by his father, George Coates, and mother Edith (Jackson) Moore; Sister Norma Duncan, and brother Paul Coates of Wilberforce, Ohio.

He is survived by his wife, Leora Coates; children: Ron, Vic, and April; grandchildren: Sarah, Michael, Joey, Jack, and Faith. Great-grandchildren: Alex and Kenna. A special nephew, Butch (Pat) Harris; a sister, Minnie Cox, and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and Special Friends