Zack is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joyce Creason Coles of Winder, Georgia; daughter, Valerie Coles of Monroe, GA; son, John Coles (Shelley) of Lavonia, GA; son-in-law, Phillip Dixon of Dacula, GA; and daughter-in-law, Sheila Coles of Oxford, GA.
He will be forever cherished by his seven grandchildren, Jeremy Coles (Tifanny) of Oxford, GA; Jared Coles (Ashley) of Mansfield, GA; Aaron (Leigh) of Dacula, GA; Lindsey Conner (Chris) of Mansfield, GA; Ellis Coles of St. Petersburg, FL; Trever Dixon (Emily) of Dallas, GA; and Addison Taylor Coles of Lavonia, GA. His legacy also includes eleven great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his son, Melvin Willard Coles II; daughter Patricia Coles Dixon; parents, Melvin Willard and Eliza Magness Coles and brother Joseph Coles.
Zack joined the Army at the age of seventeen at Fort Campbell, KY. He served in Korea and completed multiple tours in Vietnam. He also served on numerous Army bases in the U.S. After leaving the Army in 1967, he and his family settled in Gwinnett County, GA. He was a successful business entrepreneur and over the years he and Joyce successfully formed numerous businesses including a construction/land
development company responsible for the development of a shopping center, a motel and several subdivisions in Gwinnett County, GA. He never fully retired and continued looking for opportunities to grow his businesses or find new ones.
Along with his wife Joyce, he enjoyed farming, estate auctions, flea markets and festivals. He was also an avid coin collector. More than anything he enjoyed spending time with his family. There was never a dull moment when the family gathered at his farm in Winder, GA.
It was his wish that he be buried in his hometown of Mayfield alongside his son and parents.
Funeral services for Mr. Zachary Taylor Coles will be 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at Byrn Funeral Home in Mayfield, KY. Rev. Billy Sizemore will officiate. Interment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery. Military graveside rites will be conducted by American Legion Post #26.
Visitation will be 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to: Bethany Church (Disaster Relief), 2085 Bethany Bowersville Rd., Canon, GA 30520 or Samaritan’s Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org).