Doris Dickinson Coady obituary
Doris Dickinson Coady, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and respected coach, passed on to God on Friday, September seventh. She was the daughter of the late Arthur and Madeline Dickinson of Cedar
Falls, Iowa. Doris was the wife of the late John F. Coady. She is greatly missed by her children, Debi
(Craig) James, Sean (Jane) Coady, and Greg Coady, and grandchildren Justin (Jackie) James, Jessica
James, Michael James, Arra (Matt) Tucker, Peyton Coady and Madeline Coady.
Doris received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Northern Iowa. It was there that she
met the love of her life, John. John and Doris moved their family to Murfreesboro in 1968, after John was
appointed director of personnel at the V.A. hospital. The family joined the First United Methodist Church,
where Doris would continue to worship for the next fifty years.
Doris was a great blessing to the Murfreesboro community in so many ways. She was a co-founder of the
Epsilon Tau chapter of Alpha Delta Pi sorority at Middle Tennessee State University. She served as an
advisor to the chapter for thirty years. The national sorority honored her service and dedication with a
lifetime achievement award.
She served as a Girl Scout leader for several years. She began the first synchronized swimming team in
Middle Tennessee. She would lead the team to victories in Junior Olympic competitions in Chattanooga,
Florida, and Virginia.
After earning a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from MTSU, she began a teaching and
coaching career at Oakland High School in 1982 that would continue for the next 25 years. As the long-
time swim coach for Oakland, she led her teams to countless victories county and statewide. As a tribute
to her dedication, the county swim meet was renamed the Doris Coady Rutherford County Swim Meet.
She was further recognized when the Oakland High School pool was named in her honor.
Doris lived a full and active life. She devoted much of her time to others and touched many lives along
the way. A remarkable woman and a life well-lived.
Memorials may be made to Alive Hospice, Murfreesboro in her memory.
Funeral service will be 10:00am Wednesday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Rev. Michael O’Bannon will
officiate. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Visitation will be 4:00 until 7:00pm Tuesday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. 615-893-5151. www.woodfinchapel.com
