William J. Coates Jr.
May 31, 1938 ~ March 19, 2026
Born in:
Los Angeles, California
Resided in:
Danvers, Massachusetts
William Coates died after struggling for several years, with Alzheimer’s disease. Bill was predeceased by his loving wife Nancy in 2023. He is survived by his children Heather Coates-Krawitz and her husband Matthew Krawitz, Ryan Coates and his wife Alison Coates, and his grandchildren Margaret Krawitz, Sam Krawitz, Seth Coates and Carly Coates.
William (Bill) was born in Los Angles, California to William Justus Coates Sr. and Vera Adreneth Sine Coates. Bill’s sister Shirley Coates Hartshorn left home when he was still young but they reconnected later in life.
Bill was discovered to be extremely hard of hearing when he started school and was transferred to The John Tracy School where he learned to lip read and speak. Then he transferred back to main stream school at Le Conte Middle school (1953) and graduated from Marshall High School, Los Angles in 1956.
He next graduated from Los Angles City College in 1958 and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Los Angles State University in 1960.
Bill met Nancy while dancing and they dated for 1 year before marrying on 12/31/1965 at the glass Wayfayer’s Chapel in Palos Verdes, California. They loved dancing, camping, traveling by convertible Austin-Healey and sailing. They enjoyed 57 loving years of marriage.
In 1984 the family moved to Oro Valley Arizona for Garett AirResearch that later became part of Allied Signal which was then acquired by Honeywell.
With Garett AirResearch, Bill worked on projects such as a Space Shuttle brushless motor actuator, Electric Car (fly wheel), and various projects for aircraft design (Leer, Boeing and Military), helicopterdesign (Apache and Commanche), Missile interceptors and a wide temperature range tape deck.
In his free time, Bill enjoyed sailing while living in California and after moving to Arizona he enjoyed many off-road trips to secluded areas of Arizona (including ghost towns) and cycling (both road and mountain bike).
After much convincing Bill and Nancy moved to Salem, Massachusetts in 2018 to join their daughter, Heather and her family there. Where he enjoyed solitary walks on the isolated New England beaches. When Bill lost Nancy to cancer in 2023 he was heart broken and had not been the same since.
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The family greatly appreciates donations made to these charities in William J. Coates 's name.
Mass Audubon
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Dear Ryan and Heather,
We so enjoyed knowing your parents! Their many special characteristics are evident in you and your children, not the least of which are your amazing curiosity, intellectual capacity and love of nature. It is hard to say goodbye, but thankfully their legacy prevails . Seth, Carly, Margaret and Sam can be proud of the grandparents who loved them and taught them so much.
Ryan, Bruce and I hold you in great esteem , thankful for the family that sustained you and contributed to making you the man you are today. No one could wish for a more upstanding son in law.
Affectionately,
Bruce and Pat