NANCY FIELDS COATS

David was born in Idaho and Nancy in Oregon. We met while students at BIOLA University in LaMirada, CA. where we earned our elementary teachers' degrees and Dave played lots of soccer. Nancy taught in LaHabra, CA. for one year until Dave finished school. We married in Salem, OR, in 1966, moved to Portland, OR, where Dave attended Seminary for 3 years and Nancy continued to teach. Tim and Sara were born while living there. In 1971 we moved to Three Lynx, OR, up the Clackamas River from Estacada...in the Mt. Hood National Forest where Dave taught for 5 years at the little elementary school there. Our last child, Stephen, was born while here.

In 1976 we moved from green Oregon to deserty Sanaa, North Yemen, to teach in the international school there. Nancy also worked for the Education Building project/World Bank. During our years there we were privileged to spend some time traveling to over 30 countries and help with an International Christian Fellowship.

We returned to the States in 1981 and Dave taught 5th & 6th grades in Midvale, ID, for 12 years. When the children were out of college, we taught in Punta Cardon, Venezuela for 4 years, then 6 years in Puerta La Cruz, Venezuela.

We returned to the States in 2003 and Dave taught at Cambridge, ID, for 2 years, retired once, then we both taught at the Hopi Mission School on the Hopi Reservation in Kykotsmovi, AZ for 2006-2007. We officially retired after that as we felt the kids were wearing us out! :)

Our oldest son, Tim, lives in Salem, OR. and makes a good living selling Lego via the internet. Our daughter, Sara, is married to Kevin Allen and has 5 of our wonderful grandchildren, David, Elizabeth, Hannah, Joel and Melody. Our youngest son, Stephen, is married to Georgia Loukas and has the othe 3 of our great grandchildren, Zoe, Elliana and Jamin! We see each family about twice a year, but not near enough.

Dave has two brothers in Boise, and a sister in CA. Nancy has 6 siblings mostly in the Salem, OR, and Spokane, WA. area...plus numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews! Both parents passed away too early, in 1982 at only 69 years of age.

Life is great! We praise God each day for His goodness to us and the life God has allowed us to enjoy!

One comes to mind. One night the band was walking from the high school to the football field way down past the grade school. Sandy Kriner lost a contact lense in the dark...and took some time to find it with flashlights! Those walks back and forth from the ball field were sometimes seemed very cold and long.

We keep busy with church, some tutoring, community activities. In small towns, there are always things one can do. We travel to visit children and grandchildren about 5 times a year or more.

We are in the home we built in 1983-84 in Midvale. Much time is spent going through Family Memorabila as Nancy has had lots of time recovering from knee and hip replacement. Nancy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Nov. 2010 and has been trusting the Lord for strength and healing. So far I am doing well and feeling better than a year ago. Our times are in His hands. Dave is a wonderful caregiver and we are thankful for a very comfortable, snug place to call home.