Illustrator. Born in rural Kansas, he exhibited an early talent for drawing, submitting his first illustration at the age of twelve for "The Open Road for Boys" magazine. After majoring in drawing and painting at the University of Kansas, he found employment with Hallmark, where he was a designer of greeting cards early in his career. Other pieces from this period came with his works found in a number of magazines including "Esquire," "Good Housekeeping," and "McCall's." In 1957 he was hired by the "New York Enquirer" as its editorial cartoonist. Four years later Coker entered into the phase of his career for which he is most recognized. In January of said year, he commenced illustrating articles written for the humor magazine "MAD." Over the next five decades his scratchy simplistic drawings graced the pages of MAD. Notable works during this time include his illustrations for numerous Frank Jacobs and Larry Siegel pieces, satirical parodies of Hollywood films such as "Twister," "Jurassic Park," and "Star Trek," and the Phil Hahn collaboration, "Horrifying Clichés." Outside of printed media, Coker is well remembered for his work as a production designer on much beloved Rankin-Bass stop motion films. Over the course of ten years, he designed characters and backgrounds in such Christmas specials as "Frosty the Snowman," "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town," "The Year Without a Santa Claus," " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas," "Rudolph's Shiny New Year," "Jack Frost," and "Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July." Along with these pieces he introduced a number of characters which have become seminal parts of the Holiday Season. The design and characterizations of Mickey Rooney's Kris Kringle, The Burgermeister, Winter Warlock, and the dueling siblings, Heat and Snow Miser all came from the Coker led production at Rankin-Bass studios.