Ronald “Ron” Coles

Celebrating Life

Ronald (Ron) Warren Coles, 77, a former Haines and Baker City, Oregon resident, died January 2, 2024, at his home in Corvallis, Oregon.  Graveside services will be held on Monday, January 15, 2024, at 1 pm at the Haines Cemetery in Haines, Oregon.  

Ron was born on October 23, 1946, in Baker City, Oregon, to Bernal and Lois (Inskeep) Coles.  He attended Baker City High School and graduated in 1965. He worked at the Baker Garage from 16 years of age till he enlisted in the Air Force in 1967.  Ron served four years in the Air Force with one year overseas in Thailand and returned home to attend Blue Mountain College.  After school, he joined the Oregon State Police and moved to Medford, Oregon.  Although he served the state in this capacity, Ron’s dream career was to become a pilot.  While working as a police officer, he used his spare time and his GI Bill to log hours and become a pilot.  His oldest children, Carrie and Jason, fondly remember many hours of completing “touch and go’s” in the small single-engine plane he trained in. In 1978, Ron began his pilot’s career with Cascade Airlines and continued flying throughout his life in different capacities, including a private pilot with Southwest Forest Industries, a government contract pilot in the South Pacific, and then finally as a Mercy Flights Ambulance Pilot until his retirement.

Ron was an accomplished woodworker and spent many hours in his shop crafting everything from furniture to mantle clocks of all shapes and sizes. His children and grandchildren have many special pieces crafted just for them to remember him.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents and two half-sisters, Wanda and Beth, and is survived by his children and their spouses, Carrie and Tim Flynn, League City, TX, Jason and Kerry Coles, Lebanon, CT, Chandra and Joseph Zichterman Vancouver, WA, Roni and Jeff Schrick Hurricane UT, and David and Hazel Coles Corvallis, OR.  Grandchildren Erin Flynn, Jason Flynn, Camden Tedford-Coles, McKenna Tedford-Coles, Benjamin Hafford, Heidi Hafford, Job Schrick, Anistyn Schrick, and Hadrian Coles. Sister, Sara Williams, Brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim & Nancy Coles, Pendleton, Oregon, David & Barbara Coles, West Linn, Oregon; Roger and Dawn Coles, Baker City, Oregon, nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive.

Memorial contributions in Ron’s memory may be directed to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans transportation program.  This may be done through Coles Tribute Center, 1950 Place Street, Baker City, OR  97814.

Obituary courtesy of Coles Tribute Center.

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