Rev. James Coad, Jr.

Rev. James “Jim” Coad, Jr., 94, passed into the glorious presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Friday, August 14, 2020 from heart complications caused by Covid-19. He was born on July 1, 1926, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, son of Rev. James Coad, Sr. and Grace Kathryn Halderson Coad. He grew up in Georgia and graduated from Fort Valley High School. He also attended Gordon Military School. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in forestry and served with the Georgia Department of Forestry before being called into the gospel ministry. He served in World War II in the Navy with the Seabees in Okinawa. He served as an officer with the U. S. Army during the Korean Conflict but remained in the States.

Rev. Coad answered the call to the gospel ministry and attended Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA and graduated in 1957. He served four churches in a yoked parish in Northeast Georgia at Carnesville, Old Hebron, Hopewell, and Lavonia. He then served Perry Presbyterian Church in Perry, GA, which grew in numbers from 1959 to 1963. He moved to Lavonia, GA and served two smaller churches so that he could spend more time with his family. He was Cub Master in Perry, GA, and in Lavonia, was Scout Master. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth and Order of the Arrow as an adult. As Scout Master, he took troop members on the Appalachian Trail, and he mentored and influenced many young men who still honor him today.

In 1968, Rev. Coad accepted a call to the Due West Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Due West, SC where he served for 10 years. He became a member of the A. R. P. Church (denomination) and served on many important committees. He was elected Vice Moderator in 1984 and Moderator, the highest position, in 1997. In 1979, Rev. Coad earned the Th.M. Degree from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO in preparation for entering the mission field in Mexico. Jim and his wife, Evalyn, served a fruitful three-year term as missionaries to Mexico, but they had to leave their beloved ministry due to Mrs. Coad’s health issues. His last pastorate was at the Parkway Place ARP Church in 1983 until his retirement in 1991 when they moved to their beloved home in Flat Rock, NC where they worshipped and served at Pinecrest Presbyterian Church. In retirement, Rev. Coad served Unity ARP Church in Piedmont, SC, the Spartanburg ARP Church, now Skylyn Drive Presbyterian Church, in Spartanburg, SC, and the Woodruff ARP Church among others as stated supply and/or interim pastor. Due to declining health, the Coads left their beloved home in Flat Rock, NC to enter a retirement facility in Spartanburg, SC. They worshipped at Skylyn Drive Presbyterian Church.

On Sept. 18, 1948, Jim married his beloved wife, Evalyn Wright of Greene County GA, and they had 72 happy years together. They were blessed with four children, Margie Kathryn Coad Capps and husband Phillip, Rev. James Coad, III and wife Galita, Rev. John “Jac” Coad and wife Deborah, and Anne Elizabeth Coad Waid and husband Rev. Peter Waid; 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Jim and Evalyn prayed for each one by name daily.

A family-only (due to Covid-19 restrictions) celebration service, officiated by Rev. Rhett Carson, will be held at Skylyn Drive Presbyterian Church, ARP, in Spartanburg, SC followed by internment at the graveyard of the Due West ARP Church in Due West, SC. All friends and family will be welcome at the graveside service at 4:00 PM Saturday, September 5, 2020.

The church service will be available for viewing after 12:00 PM on September 5, 2020 on Skylyn Drive Presbyterian Church’s Facebook page.

Memorials may be made to:
World Witness
918 South Pleasantburg Drive, Suite 218
Greenville, SC 29607

and/or

Lighthouse Baptist Missions
Attention: Daxell Wells
2918 SC Hwy 72E
Abbeville, SC 29620

Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel