Richard Coats

COATS, Richard Odell - Age 74, of Swartz Creek, died Monday, August 13, 2007 at Grand Blanc Nursing and Rehab Home. Funeral Service will be held 11AM Thursday, August 16, 2007 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Miller Road Chapel, 8138 Miller Rd., Swartz Creek with Deacon Ron Kenney officiating. Cremation will follow the service and Richard will then go home to Arkansas. Visitation will be 11AM-2PM and 5-8PM Wednesday at the funeral home. Those desiring may make contributions to Genesys Hospice. He was born on August 30, 1932 in Lepauto, Arkansas. He served in the Marines for 2 years during the Korean Conflict. Richard retired from GM Metal Fab in January of 2007 with 52 years of service. He is survived by daughter, Julia and husband Don Keebler of Grand Blanc; 2 sons, Mitchell Coats of Flint, Frederick and wife Livia Coats of Riverside, CA; 3 grandchildren, Natalie Dempsey and fiance Eric Hart of Flint, Ashley Dempsey of Grand Blanc, and Danny Coats of Riverside, CA, 2 step-granddaughters, Lynette and husband Corey Hall, and Michelle Keebler of Richmond, VA, all of whom he dearly loved; 4 sisters, Lillian Peeler of CA, Maudie and husband Bob DeLonch of AK, Gertrude and husband Bob Krigbaum of GA, Fannette and husband Bill Johnson of Hawaii; sister-in-law, Dathel Coats of AK.  He was preceded in death by his mother, Lois Emma Coats in 1944, father, Fred Brown Coats in 1980 and brother, Herbert Coats in 2001, all from Arkansas; 2 brothers-in-law; many nieces and nephews. He will be sadly missed by his daughter, Julie. A very special thank you to the staff at Grand Blanc Rehab for the care he received and to Genesys Hospice. Online condolences and tributes may be posted on the obituaries page of www.sharpfuneralhomes.com