Myrna Coates

Myrna Platt Coates passed away after a long and courageous battle with COPD on October 2, 2014. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 29, 1950. She was the youngest of 7 children born to John and Jeanetta Platt. Myrna grew up in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City and graduated with a BS degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Social Welfare and a certificate in Gerontology from the University of Utah in 1974. She moved to Casper, Wyoming with her husband and young children in August of 1977. After her divorce, she raised five children in Casper, as a single mother, working at Wyoming Medical Center in the radiology department for 13 years. She then changed careers and worked in corrections until she retired early due to illness.

She married James Coates in 1999 and enjoyed sharing the later part of her life with him. She loved learning new hobbies like ceramics and stained glass but mostly she loved spending time with her family and friends. Myrna was an outgoing, fun and active person with an incredible sense of humor. She never met a stranger, and was generous to those in need. Her life was her children.

Myrna was preceded in death by both her parents and her sister, Janet. She is survived by her husband, James and her brothers and sisters. She is also survived by her children, Jeffery (Nancy) Leaf of Rawlins, WY, Sean (Becky) Leaf, Cameron (Annie) Leaf, Molly (Clint) Hernandez all of Casper, WY and Amy (Nathan) Whitlock of Salt Lake City, Utah. She has two step-sons, Eric (Dawn) Coates and Charles (Sarah) Coates. She is also survived by her grandchildren; all 21 of them and 3 great-grandchildren who were her joy in life and are her legacy of love.

A viewing will be held from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, Sunday, October 5, 2014 at Newcomer Funeral Home Chapel. A funeral service will be 11:00 AM, with an addition viewing prior at 10:00 AM, Monday, October 6, 2014 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1922 Poplar, Casper, Wyoming. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery.

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