ALLEN E. COLES

If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to Heaven and bring you home again. If you really knew Allen Coles , this would be your sentiment.

On Monday, June 12th, 2006 Allen left this worldly home to join his parents, Allen Eugene Coles, Sr. and Frances DeRose Mather, his infant sister Virginia Alice Coles and sister Mildred Kasper.

He is survived by his sister Lucia Terry of Brooksville, Fl.; his children, Debbie Sullivan and her husband Mike, grandsons Will McGarry, Chris McGarry and Preston Sullivan; his son Jerry Coles and grandson Conner; his daughter Patricia Carignan, her husband Tom, and grandchildren Allen, Jeanne, Rebecca, Jack and Chad; his son Randy Coles and his wife Amy, and grandchildren Alexis, Patrick and Caitlyn. He is also survived by his stepdaughter Angie Cella, her husband Dave, and their children Cambria and Christian. Several nieces and nephews will feel this loss as well.

No one will miss him as much as his wife, Susan, who cherished every moment of her life with him. He was her rock and always put her needs above his own. Allen was born in Kansas City, Mo (closest hospital to Vinita, Oklahoma) on October 11, 1927. He lived in Vinita until he was 8 years old. After moving to Oklahoma City, he attended Grover Cleveland Elementary, Taft Junior High and Classen High School - Class of 1945 - go Comets! Allen, always being politically correct, attended Oklahoma State University for two years and then finished up with a BS degree in Business at the University of Oklahoma where he pledged Sigma Nu. Prior to college, Allen shocked his parents by signing up for the Marine Corps. He served his country proudly as a drill instructor in La Jolla, California, serving two years with an honorable discharge as Sergeant.

He was employed by W& W Steel Co. in Oklahoma City in 1951 and elected President of the company in 1967. In 1977, he became Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. During his 49 year tenure, W&W Steel grew from the fifth largest steel fabricator in Oklahoma to the fifth largest in the United States with plants in Albuquerque, NM, Lubbock, TX and Norman, OK. Allen was asked many times to sell the company, but he believed in his employees and sold the company to them in 2000. Allen was widely recognized as a civic leader having served on a number of boards over the years including Fidelity Bank (Bank of Oklahoma), Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma Society to Prevent Blindness, Girl Scouts, Young Presidents Organization, Red Earth, Inc. and as Chairman of the Red Earth Festival for three years, Oklahoma Independent College Foundation and the Oklahoma City All Sports Association. In 1960, Allen took Paris by storm with the Junior Chamber of Commerce on an international conference of Chambers of Commerce with several other civic leaders. He has served as past President for Swing for Sight, Past Director of the Royal Order of Jesters in 1988, and former President of the Guthrie Scottish Rite Charitable and Educational Foundation for 11 years. He was a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner. Allen toured the entire state of 77 counties in the 80's to promote pari-mutuel for the horse racing industry. He helped form and has served as the first President and Chairman of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, and was named "Man of the Year" by the Horse Council in 1984. He served on the board of the National Association of State Racing Commissioners. As a member of this association and as the first President and Chairman of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, Allen traveled to all major racing venues to study their rules of racing to compile the most comprehensive set of "rules of racing" for the state of Oklahoma. Allen was one of the original Hockey Hounds founded in the sixties with 8 businessmen who saw a need to support hockey in Oklahoma City. Approximately 14 years ago Allen's friend, Ray Miron from Tulsa, called him to say the Oklahoma City Council would not approve a hockey franchise in Oklahoma City. Allen proceeded to get on the phone to each and every one of the council, as well as the Mayor. The Hockey franchise in Oklahoma City was approved at the next council meeting. On March 25th of this year Allen was on hand at the Blazer's Hockey Game to present the "Coles Cup" to the most valuable player. The "Cup" was so named this year to honor Allen's tireless support of Blazers' Hockey. Recently, Allen had become involved with several law enforcement agencies including the Oklahoma County Sheriff - Colonel in the Eagle Patrol, Oklahoma Community Sentencing Council and the 2003 graduating class of the FBI's first Citizens' Academy.

In 1996 he married the former Susan Brooks. Together they built Coles Garden, a floral and sculpture museum on 15 acres located in Oklahoma City across from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital for their tremendous efforts to make Allen's last days dignified and comfortable. We so appreciate Dr. Ron White, Andrea, Lovell, Lisa & Amy, Dr. Mark Harvey and Cheri High and the management and staff, all the concierge and valet staff. The Pro-time girls Sheila, Becky and Roz were awesome to Allen. Thanks, also, to the nurses and sitters who cared for him around the clock. He loved you all very much. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. A memorial service will be at Coles Garden 1415 NE 63rd, Oklahoma City, OK on Friday, June 16th, 2006 at 11 am. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Oklahoma Heart Hospital or Good Shepherd Hospice in his name. Services are pending with Smith & Kernke Funeral Home.

Gene Nease was already running a chapel in northwest Oklahoma City when he had the chance to buy Coles Garden , a property he believed could some day become the city's premier wedding spot, which Nease bought in 2006 for $3.65 million.

Susan and Allen Coles, spent more than two years researching and visiting public gardens before they sat down with an architect to design what they describe as a "floral and sculpture museum." In September 2000, their dream garden spot at 1415 NE 63 opened with just a gift shop. The following spring they added a terrace cafe, wedding gardens, a reception area - and displays of their prized sculpture collection.

"Our goal is really to showcase the sculptures," Susan Coles said.  "We think of the gardens as a frame for the sculptures."