Linda Coates

Visitation: will be held on Wednesday, August 18, 2004 in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 18, 2004 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City

Funeral Services: will be held on Thursday, August 19, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Miles City

Interment: will be held at a later date in the family lot of the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City

Linda Lee (Zimmerman) Coates, age 54, of Miles City passed away on Saturday, August 14, 2004 at the Holy Rosary Health Center in Miles City.

Linda was born September 27, 1949 in Missoula, Montana, the daughter of Jack Thomas and Dorothy Alice (Kirscher) Zimmerman. She attended the Rattlesnake Valley and Hellgate High School. As a teenager Linda was active in a horse riding club "Rattlesnake Riders" and was Treasure State Charity Horse Show Queen One year. Wilderness horse packing with her family was a favorite pastime of Lindas. She graduated from the University of Montana in 1971. Linda taught English in St. Ignatius and in 1983, she moved to Miles City where she became the Librarian at Custer County District High School. In Miles City, Linda was active in the United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Habitat for Humanity, Human Rights Alliance, and the Montana Education Association. Linda was an avid Cyclist and participated in the Peaks to Prairie Race. Linda loved to hike and bird watch.

Linda was preceded in death by her son, Daniel Sterling; her father, Jack T. Zimmerman; and a sister, Thais J. Garetson. Linda is survived by her husband, Ladd Coates of Miles City, MT; her mother, Dorothy (Kuscher) Zimmerman of Phoenix, AZ; her sister, Gail Smith and her husband Ronald of Phoenix, AZ; her nieces: Megan Charles of Phoenix, AZ; Jenika Garetson of Hong Kong; and Casee Chaney and her husband Andrew of Phoenix, AZ; her nephew, Dan Smith and his wife Meriah of Phoenix, AZ; great nieces: Haylee & Emilie Chaney and Rylie Smith; a brother-in-law, Thomas Garetson and his wife Mary of Hong Kong; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Daniel Sterling Memorial Fund at First United Methodist Church, Miles City Public Library, or to Holy Rosary Hospice.