Gould Coates Garcia

Gould Coates Garcia passed into eternity at the age of 89 on September 28, 2022 at Sunflower Care Home, Emporia, Kansas.

Gould was born in Daytona Beach, FL, on November 2, 1932, the youngest of Raymond and Ruth Garcia’s four children. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in 1954, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate with a double major in chemistry and history.

Following his graduation from FSU, Gould entered medical school at Duke University.  He met nursing student, Nancy Hunsicker at Duke and they married the same year he earned his medical degree, in 1958.  In 1959, after a year’s internship at Duke (and after Nancy graduated from nursing school), Gould and Nancy moved to New Orleans where Gould served a three-year residency in internal medicine at Charity Hospital. While in New Orleans, the couple’s first child, Katherine Ann (Katie) was born in 1960.

After completing his residency, Gould and Nancy moved to Del Rio, Texas where Gould served a two-year commitment to the U.S. Air Force at Laughlin Air Force Base.  During this period, their second daughter, Mary Lynn was born in 1962.

Following his military service, Gould searched for a place to practice and joined Internal Medicine Associates in Emporia.  He and Nancy moved to Emporia in 1964. Their third daughter, Elizabeth Leigh was born in 1967.

Gould practiced internal medicine with Internal Medicine Associates for 35 years until his retirement in August, 1999.  He was loved and respected by his patients and office staff.  As one nurse commented, the respect and TLC he offered his patients were inspiring.

He was also a long-time, faithful member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Emporia, where he served as Senior Warden several times. Gould loved to golf (although he often said golf didn’t love him), swim in the ocean with his children and grandchildren, and was a devoted Duke Blue Devils fan, much to the chagrin of many of his Emporia colleagues and friends. He had season tickets to the Kansas City Chiefs for 30 years and greatly enjoyed bringing friends and family to the games.

Those who knew Gould remember his love of cats.  Rare was the period in his life when one or more cats didn’t live with him, or allow him to live with them.  He was a voracious reader —biographies and books about history were favorites.  And when he read, a cat was typically found curled on his lap.  He loved to garden.

Gould is survived by Nancy, his wife of 64 years, and their three daughters: Katherine Mazzuckelli of Atlanta, GA; Mary (James) Grant of Kansas City, MO; and, Elizabeth (Curtis) Long of Rochester, NY. He is also survived by his nephews Robert Harry of St. Augustine, FL and Bruce Healey (Sherry) of Nederland, TX and nieces Kathy Gumberger of Port Arthur, TX, Jeanne Smith (Mike) of Buford, GA, and Dorothy Silverio (Henry) of Darby, MT. To his Florida relatives, he was known as Sonny. Survivors also include his seven grandchildren: Anna and Alec Mazzuckelli of Atlanta, GA; Jeannie Grant of Columbia, MO and Jake Grant of Olathe, KS; and Jay, Daniel, and Mar Long of Rochester, NY. Gould was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Ruth Healey, Lillian Harry and Elsie Thompson.

Cremation is planned with services held on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 828 Commercial St., Emporia, KS 66801. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, at the same address.  Burial will follow at a later date in Ormond Beach, FL.