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Mildred Ripley Coates, 100 of Ellicott City, Maryland, passed peacefully at home on Aug. 2. She was born Jan. 2, 1923 in Buckingham County to Floyd and Mamie Ripley. She was preceded in death by her husband of 75 years, John Richard Coates and their son, Ricky Coates. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Gladys Baker, Mary Chappell, Claudine Harris, Shirley Seay and George Ripley.

Mildred graduated Buckingham Central High School, and then attended Phillips Business School in Lynchburg. Later she worked at an Army base in Richmond and then as a secretary at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

She is survived by her brother, Floyd Gordon Ripley and his wife, Nathalie; niece, Roma Morris and husband, Larry; three nephews, Gordan N. Ripley, Michael Ripley and Lance Ripley and Paul and Nancy Thompson, whom she loved as family.

A graveside funeral service will be held on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m., in the Trinity Methodist Church Cemetery, Buckingham Courthouse. 

Dunkum Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.