Obituary from Challis Messengery October 7, 2010
Orrin David Coates was born September 1, 1987 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the fourth of five children, to Tom and Kim Coates. He lived his first five years on the family cattle ranch in Mackay, Idaho.
Energetic is a simple way to describe Orrin as a little kid. He chased and mimicked his two older brothers Brandon and Gabe and older sister Kendra around the ranch, usually with some kind of ball in his hands. Like Forrest Gump, wherever Orrin was going “he was running.” Whenever Orrin was playing, he was usually trying to get the best of his sister Kendra, including borrowing her bike without her permission and racing his brother Gabe on his motorcycle and ending up running Kendra’s bike through the barbed wire fence, sustaining scrapes and scars which he carried with him the rest of his life.
Orrin’s dad was the high school basketball coach and Orrin tagged along to many practices. During practice, he would run laps around and around and around, to the dismay of most of the players, because they could expect to hear if a four-year-old can do it, you should be able to do it. Brandon can tell you that it wasn’t as easy as you would have thought to keep up with him.
In 1994, at age 6, the family welcomed Orrin’s little sister, Dlanie, into the world, and soon after moved to Stayton, Oregon. Making new friends has never been a problem for Orrin. Though he left many in Idaho that would become lifelong friends, he quickly adapted to his new surroundings in Oregon, and began building friendships there.
Orrin spent his elementary years in Stayton, where his playground exploits earned him the name “Orrin the athlete.” While attending Stayton Elementary, he earned numerous fitness records, which he never bragged about until his little sister Dlanie topped them. Training with, and watching his big brother Gabe compete in sports, spurred his infatuation with sports, and football in particular.
In 1999, Orrin’s family relocated to Nampa, Idaho, where Orrin attended Nampa Christian Middle School. Once again Orrin adjusted well to yet another new environment and the friendships followed. His athletic gifts began to blossom in Nampa and he was determined to improve his game, so determined that he forced his 6-year-old sister Dlanie to video him throwing the football over and over. When Dlanie complained that her arms were getting too tired to hold the camera up, he simply said “Switch arms.” This is where Orrin’s passion for football grew to include everything Boise State. His two brothers were attending college there and he began to realize his desire to one day play on the blue.
When Orrin wasn’t playing or practicing for sports, you could find him working on his new ambition, learning to play the guitar just like his big brother Gabe. Gabe imparted all of his guitar playing wisdom onto Orrin. The next day, the student became the teacher, and he’s been teaching Gabe ever since.
After three years in Nampa, the family moved back to Stayton where Orrin began his freshman year at Stayton High School. He was well received by the community, his coaches and friends both old and new. Orrin’s world revolved around football and friendships.
Orrin’s high school years were inspirational. He always made time for everyone, old and young alike. He was respectful and he worked hard every day to be the best athlete he could be, sometimes at the expense of being the best student he could be. Orrin spent most of his high school years involved in sports, hanging out with his friends and entertaining his family on the guitar and cracking one-liners. Orrin always had to be the life of the party, he had to have center stage, and his smile lit up the room. He was someone you couldn’t stay mad at, no matter how hard you tried.
He graduated in 2006 and began his college years at Idaho State University as a red shirt free safety on the football team. Orrin forged some new friendships and was reunited with old friends. He loved his time at Idaho State and being on the football team, but he was pulled in other directions. He found his way back to Stayton, where he was closer to his friends and family and was able to help with the Stayton football program. His passion to play football had not yet been fulfilled so he was given the opportunity to once again play college football at the College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California. While he was there, his football days were cut short due to a back injury. Orrin returned once again to Stayton where he found a new passion in working with kids, coaching and watching his little sister become an athlete. He continued his education at Linn Benton and began working at the Stayton Middle School. He had the pleasure of being a teacher’s aide for the sixth grade class.
While Orrin was attending Linn Benton, he joined the Barton Football Academy staff and found himself earning a living doing what he loved most, learning and teaching football. Working with the Academy gave Orrin a new perspective about himself and life. He found another passion and applied the drive that he has always shown for everything he takes on. He discovered what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to coach kids and help them realize the football dreams that he was unable to completely fulfill in his youth.
Orrin passed away in his sleep September 16, 2010. Orrin had great ambitions and future plans that he was excited to share with everyone he met, but God had other plans for him and called him home. Through the various paths of his life, he carried his friendships with him. All of the relationships he forged transcended boundaries here on earth. Orrin’s love for Jesus and his family cannot be put into words, only to say his involvement, generosity, companionship, and genuine heart-felt concern were unsurpassed.
Orrin is survived by his mother and father Tom and Kim of Stayton; brothers Brandon and wife Summer and their two children, Peyton and Addison, of Boise, Idaho, Gabe and his wife Kristina, of Challis, Idaho; sisters Kendra, of Sublimity, Oregon and Dlanie, of Stayton, Oregon; grandmother Lola Coates of Mackay; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by grandparents Kenneth and Marjory Strickler and grandfather Byron Coates.
Funeral services were held September 20 at the Stayton High School football stadium. More than 1,200 people were in attendance including past and present football players, as well as coaches and young athletes that Orrin influenced in his short lifetime. He was buried at the Chilly Cemetery.
Stayton Standout and Local Coach Orrin Coates Passes Away
September 17, 2010
Dirk Knudsen
OregonPreps.com Editor
Once and a while we have to bring you sad news. And this is really sad. Oregon lost one of our own this week. One of our finest athletes, students, and coaches. One of our finest people. This young man at 23 was creating an idyllic life of happiness and joy for his family and helping others. But no more.
The sudden death of 23 year old Orrin Coates of Stayton, Oregon has left family and friends reeling. A fixture in the Oregon High School football family Coates died suddenly in his sleep.
Bio:
Orrin David Coates was born September 1st, 1987. His parents are Tom and Kim Coates, who still live in Stayton. Orrin had 4 siblings, Brandon (36), Gabe (30), Kendra (29), and Dlanie (16).
He had a passion for working with young student-athletes, where he coached for Stayton High School and taught at Stayton Middle School. Orrin was being mentored by two of the top coaches in the country in Taylor Barton, and Mike Bush. He had become a key Coach and partner at Barton Football where he was a coach in recent years.
Orrin was a graduate of Stayton High School, where he started three years as a dual-threat quarterback and defensive back. During his career, Orrin put his stamp in the record books. Orrin ranks 4th all-time for career rushing yards, and is 1st all-time rushing yards for a quarterback. His best effort came against Gladstone, where he rushed for 193 yards on 18 attempts averaging 10.7 yards per carry. He is the school record holder ranking 1st for all-time passing yards at Stayton. He also holds the school record for most wins as a starter, winning 16 games from 2003-2006. On the opposite side of the ball, he played both safety and corner. During his years at Stayton, he had 14 interceptions with 5 returned for touchdowns. His head coach during that time was Greg Nolan, who is still at Stayton High School.
Orrin continued his career at Idaho State University, where he played safety. As a redshirt, he was selected as defensive scout team player of the week 6 times.
After his first year at ISU, Orrin transferred to College of the Redwoods because of a coaching change at ISU. While at CR, Orrin was faced with an injury that would end his career. His head coach at Idaho State was Larry Lewis and mentored by then safeties coach, Joe Lorig.
He is remembered by close family friend Greg Barton today who had these words to share. "I talked to Orrin for close to 2-hours on Wednesday night. He told me that he was the happiest person on earth as he was living the dream of coaching football and working with kids. He asked me for some help and support as he was currently working on the Barton Football Academy site. I gave him lots of information and he was absolutely fired up and couldnt wait to talk to Taylor about these ideas. After I hung up the phone, I yelled out to my wife Heather that I just talked to Orrin for along time and that he sounded like he is enjoying his life and the direction it is going. We communicated about Orrin for about 15 minutes and both of us agreed that it was really neat to see just how happy he was in his life.
The next morning we got a call telling us about what happened to Orrin and my wife and I were very upset and we rushed over to be with him and his wonderful mom and dad.
It was a very tough and emotional 5 hours. Orrin was only 23 when he left us.
I liked Orrin when I first met him and he coached with us for a couple of years. He did a great job in working with the kids and parents. One thing that stood out to me was in how much he wanted to grow in this profession. He would go to Seattle to work with Mike Bush (Washington State and NFL) and learn more about how to teach SAQ training. Mike runs our program in Seattle and he is amazing. Orrin just picked his brain and then came back and started the process of teaching what he learned. I warned him not to copy Mike, but to be himself. What amazed me was in how much information he learned from Mike as within months I thought he was doing a great job for us in Oregon.
In addition he wanted to learn more about receiving and yes, even working with the quarterbacks. Taylor told me just about everyday that Orrin was going to be able to write his ticket in coaching football in the years to come. He became at a young age, one of the best football coaches I have been around. He felt comfortable in coaching just about every position in the sport and his abilities to coach SAQ training was outstanding.I only mention his talents as this was so important to him. Orrin had a dream of being in business with Taylor and that was very close to happening. That is why he was so excited and happy when I last talked to him. He felt that his future was going to be a bright one and he was walking on water with his excitment and dreams.
I will never forget Orrin Coates. He was a wonderful young man. I have always enjoyed being around his mom and dad. It is a terrible thing for a mom and dad to lose a son. It is terrible for anyone, of any age, to lose a friend. I considered Orrin a friend and he was a young man that I had tremendous respect for. I have been receiving calls from both parents and the young kids who have trained in our programs.
Everyone is shocked and everyone has gone out of their way in talking about such a talented and kind person we have lost. Everyone of them told me stories about how good Orrin was with their son and how he also went out of his way in communicating with them. These comments would made Orrin proud. He loved working with kids, of all ages, and unlike many, he really enjoyed sharing his thoughts with the parents.
Boy, I am going to miss Orrin. The only good news about this whole thing, was in my conversation with him the night before. Again he was happy and fired up about his future. He was excited and I could feel it though the phone. Orrin left us being happy and fired up about what he wanted his future to be. His self-esteem was at an all-time high and he was excited. I will remember our talk for the rest of my life."
We thank Greg Barton for sharing all of these great observations and we ask that tonight you all take a minute or two to think about Orrin and his Family and pray for their comfort and relief in this terrible time.Orrin was a great example of what we should all try for in life. Not Money, Not Fame, but true happiness and inner peace.
RIP Orrin Coates
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