James Edwin

Coale

James, "Jimmy" and later "Jim," Edwin Coale was born October 16, 1939, in Okemah, Oklahoma, the second son of Clara Belle and Earl Coale. Towards the end of WWII, Earl and Clara Belle loaded up Tom and Jimmy and moved to Oakland, California, where Earl built barracks and Clara Belle was a journeyman welder on naval ships. Tom and Jimmy would often sneak into ballgames and hop trains. Jim's love for hunting and fishing, which began on the family farm, flourished there.

After a few years in California, Earl developed a foot rash the doctor couldn't heal, and they returned to Okemah, where they continued to live, adding brother Robert, "Butch," to the family. Jimmy continued to hunt and fish, play sports, sing and attend the Okemah church of Christ, growing up surrounded with love from grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. He would have to lie low in the backseat of the car coming home from church on Sunday and Wednesday evenings to avoid being seen out late by one of his coaches.

Jim loved camping out and was an avid Boy Scout, joining in 1952. That year he earned merit badges in music, plumbing, masonry, home repairs, and swimming. He continued to add merit badges in camping, lifesaving, rowing, dog care, and others and was certified as a Life Scout in Troop 41, Creek Nation Area Council on July 29, 1954. He was awarded the Order of the Arrow in 1955 and was certified as an Eagle Scout on February 15, 1955, an honor of which he was very proud. He fondly remembered attending Philmont Scout Camp in Cimarron, New Mexico.

Jimmy graduated from Okemah High School in '57 at the age of seventeen and joined the Oklahoma National Guard. After graduation, Jimmy attended Central Christian College (now Oklahoma Christian) in Bartlesville, where he met the love of his life, Pat Potter. After their first year, the college relocated to Edmond, where they completed their two-year programs. While at Central Christian College, Jim played basketball and was the editor of the college newspaper, The Talon. On August 28, 1959, Jim and Pat married at the Tuttle church of Christ. Both English majors, they earned their degrees from Central State in Edmond.

Always a lover of the mountains with an adventurer's heart, in '61 Jim moved Pat to Lewistown, Montana, where they both taught, and Jim continued his service in the Montana National Guard. In April of '62, they added James Lane to their family. They stayed in Montana, both teaching the next school year, relocating closer to home in Garden City, Kansas, in '63, where Jim coached basketball and taught and Pat stayed home with Lane, the family enjoying the Garden City church of Christ. In February of '64, they added Dane Scott to their family, and Shannan Gwen arrived in April of '67, much to their surprise, as they were expecting a third boy.

The following school year, they relocated to Greensburg, Kansas. Jim continued teaching and coaching, refereeing football and basketball, and umping baseball. In the summers, he painted houses, made home repairs and additions, and did other carpentry jobs while Pat stayed home with the children. Jim continued to hunt and fish, canoe and camp, passing on his love for the great outdoors to his children. He also continued serving in the Kansas National Guard. Jim received a grant to earn his master's degree in counseling, taking the family to Laramie, Wyoming for fifteen months and serving in the Wyoming National Guard, then returning to Greensburg, where he and Pat purchased their family home on 303 E. Nebraska, a source of continual home improvements, and Jim became the high school counselor for the next eight years. When their very small church of Christ congregation in Greensburg disbanded, the family worshipped at nearby Mullinville, where Jim often led singing and eventually preached.

In '78, the family moved to Hoyt, Kansas, and Jim became the principal at Royal Valley High School. The next year, they returned home to Oklahoma; Jim was the superintendent of Tuttle Public Schools and Pat taught ninth grade English. Lane and Dane both graduated from Tuttle High School, and the family worshipped at the Tuttle church of Christ, where Jim was appointed an elder, his highest honor.

In the fall of '83, Jim, Pat, and Shannan moved to Hesston, Kansas, where Jim finished up his Kansas retirement as the high school principal and Pat taught high school English in nearby Sedgwick. After Shannan graduated in '85, Jim and Pat moved back to Grady County;  Jim served as superintendent of Minco Public Schools, and Pat taught high school English at Chickasha. That year, Jim earned his most beloved name of Grandpa when Allie Eve Coale was born in December '85. Grandpa and Grandy wholeheartedly embraced grandparenthood. He and Pat worshipped with the Minco church of Christ.

Jim remained at Minco Public Schools until the fall of '88, when he and Pat moved to Chickasha, where Jim worked as the middle school counselor and Pat shifted to junior high English. They continued God's work with Central church of Christ.

In the fall of '91, Jim and Pat moved to Alex, Jim the high school principal and Pat an English teacher. They worshipped at the Westside church of Christ in Alex, where Jim often led singing and eventually preached. He became Papa to Jess Nocona Tucker in July, '91; Colton Dane Coale in March,'92; Austin James Tucker in October, '93; Chandler Rae Coale, in May, '96; Bailee Patricia Tucker in January, '97; and Jake Bryan Tucker, in April, '99. Jim retired briefly from Alex Public Schools, coming out of retirement to serve Alex Public Schools as the Bradley principal/counselor.

After retiring finally, Jim and Pat purchased a home in Blanchard. They still worshipped at Westside in Alex on Sunday mornings, often attending services on Sunday and Wednesday nights with the Blanchard church of Christ. Jim continued to hunt and fish and golf and sing, spending time with family and relishing his time with his grandchildren.

Jim and Pat embraced great grandparenthood to James Fraser Blake in October, 2020; Austyn Ann Coale, in March, 2021; and Emma Lynne Hughes, in June, 2022. His fourth great grandchild, a boy, is due on Jim's birthday, October 16.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Clara Belle Coale; brothers, Tom and Butch Coale; mother and father-in-law, Wilmuth and Horace Potter; brothers and sisters-in-law, Joe and Joyce Potter, Harold and Gwen Long, Dan Potter; nephew, Tracy Coale.

Jim is survived by his wife, Pat Coale of the home in Blanchard; son Lane Coale and wife Carol of Grove; son Dane Coale and wife Sherri of Norman; daughter Shannan Tucker and husband Bryan of Okemah; granddaughter Allie Blake and husband Tyler and their son James of Oklahoma City; granddaughter Jess Tucker of Oklahoma City; grandson Colton Coale and wife Morgan and their daughter Austyn of Blanchard; grandson Austin Tucker of El Reno; granddaughter Chandler Coale of Norman; granddaughter Bailee Hughes and husband Tyler and their daughter Emma of Pawhuska; grandson Jake Tucker and wife Anna and their son (due in October) of Johnstown, Colorado; sister-in-law Charlotte Coale of Sapulpa; sister-in-law Linda Coale of Okemah; brother and sister-in-law Don and Joan Potter of Walters; sister and brother-in-law Jimmie and Jay Bennett of Turpin; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Jim loved God, his family and friends, his country. Jim was a servant of the church, of public education, of the National Guard. Jim loved to sing and work and sing while he worked. He appreciated God's beautiful creations, the mountains, streams, lakes, and rivers. While Jim's death leaves a vast chasm in his family members' hearts, they gain some comfort, knowing Jim is singing with the angels.

Jim left this world in his sleep on Saturday, June 24, at their home in Blanchard, with Pat, his wife of sixty-three years, holding his hand. Funeral Services for Jim will be on Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Blanchard Church of Christ.  Interment to follow in the Fairview Cemetery in Tuttle.  Services are under the direction  of Eisenhour Funeral Home, Blanchard.  Online obituary and guestbook are available at www.eisenhourfh.com.