Resident Showcase: Nick Coates
My name is Neleigh (Nick) Coates and I’m a resident at Adante Independent Living. I moved here from an apartment complex filled with “working people.” I came to Adante to be a part of a thriving community and to enjoy the delicious chef-prepared meals. One of my favorite activities is to participate in one-on-one fitness. My goal is to stay healthy and prevent any prolonged illness.
I was born and raised in Kansas City and attended high school in New Jersey. I graduated from Northwestern University in Illinois with a business degree. After graduating, I went to work for my father, a successful business man and inventor of the masonry saw. He sold the company to a large New York Stock Exchange Company and I lost my job due to the sell. However, opportunity soon knocked on my door. A friend of mine called me to invest in real estate development of condominiums, offices and homes in Aspen, Colorado. I said yes and in 1967, I moved to Aspen to raise my three children. I continued with real estate development in Mexico.
During my second marriage of 35 years, my wife Betty and I spent nine months out of the year for 12 years sailing on our 44-foot sail boat, “Expectation”. We saw many beautiful sights, met some of the most interesting people and experienced some of the most unforgettable adventures.
One of the best things about sailing is the freedom. That vast ocean is yours to meander without the distraction of technology or crowds. One trip across the Anegada was memorable for its beauty. The night was full of bright stars as it can only be when land is out of sight. The wind was perfect to sail on a smooth, broad reach and for two hours we had a whale following us only 20 yards astern.
While traveling the Sea of Cortez, the clear blue waters of the Caribbean, among many other beautiful places, we encountered fierce storms, ravaging waves, unexpected illness and other hardships that come with only two people sailing a 44-foot boat.
In retrospect, I have forgotten the rough passages, the rolling anchorages and the hardships of the cruising life; instead, I remember the incredible people we met and the unbelievable sights we experienced.
I lost my eyesight unexpectedly 12 years ago. Hercules, my seeing- eye dog has been by my side for three years. I may have lost my eyesight, but not my vision for life. I continue to cruise through life as I travel and invest in business opportunities. My most recent business venture is a partnership to bring a fine whiskey distillery to downtown San Antonio.