Coates

(from newspaper articles)

Fred Coates of Bosanquet Twp. married Sylvia Grace Blunt (1938–1995), who grew up in Warwick Twp. with her brothers and sisters Harvey, Robert, Howard, William, Jack, Ivor, Kathleen, Marjorie and Helen. Fred and Sylvia farmed in Bosanquet until 1975 when Sylvia's poor health forced them to give up their farm. By purchasing Warwick General Store they became the store's sixth owner, and also moved back to the community where Sylvia had grown up.

When Highway 402 opened in the early 1980s, bypassing Warwick Village, business dropped precipitously, but the Coates stayed on. The store has survived mainly on local business and, in the summer, campers from the nearby conservation area. Fred assumes he will be the last proprietor of the store.

The Coates raised their four children — Robert, Rose, Daniel and Kevin — in the living quarters in the back of the store. The family all married and moved away from the community. Rose joined the Canadian Forces and has remained with them.

For 45 years Sylvia corresponded with Rose Alcock, of Dumbarton, Scotland, beginning in 1947, when eight year old Sylvia asked her recently immigrated sister-in-law, Betty (Mrs. William Blunt), if she knew anyone overseas who would like a pen pal. Her sister contacted Rose and the letters never stopped. Fred and Sylvia's daughter Rose was named for this pen friend. In 1992 Rose vacationed in Canada and finally met her faithful pen pal face-to-face, staying with the Coates' for three weeks.

In addition to running the store with his faithful cockatiel Larry (named after his brother), Fred drives school bus. He served as a Warwick Volunteer Firefighter for many years. While most of the locals adjusted their lives to his daily bus schedule, Fred was known to herd customers out of the store and lock up when the fire station called!

Chapter 24 of 25 - Coates Family

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