Born in 1932 in Meeting Creek, Alberta, he moved to Sardis, B.C., in 1934. Coutts joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1951 and was stationed throughout Canada for the next 35 years. He retired to Courtney, B.C. in 1986. His first book is the self-published Cancelled With Pride: A History of Chilliwack Area Post-Offices 1865 - 1993 (Cecil C. Coutts Publishing, 1993).

[BCBW 2003] "Local History"