He was preceded in death by his four brothers and one sister. He was married to Susie Hannah Florida November 2, 1890. To this union were born five children, one of whom died in infancy. The remaining four are Mrs. Jake Styles (Dona) of Youngstown, Ohio, Byron E. Coats and Mrs. W. O. Fredrick (Ruth) of Cabool and Herbert A. Coats of Houston.
There are eleven grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren and one great great grandson.
He attended school in Texas County, taught school for three years, then entered the American Medical College in St. Louis, where he graduated in 1899. Since that time he has practiced medicine in Texas county, the last forty-two of which were spent at Cabool.
He was converted and joined the Baptist church in 1904. He belonged to the Masonic lodge and was Master several times.
The funeral services were held at the First Baptist Church, Tuesday afternoon with Masonic services at the Cabool cemetery and were attended by a large number of relatives and friends from this community as well as from Houston, Mountain Grove and Plato.
Services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. Edgar Burks. Mrs. Charles Foster and George L. Arms sang solos with Mrs. S. F. Whittaker at the organ.
Members of Barnes Lodge No. 116 A. F. & A. M. also members of the Order of the Eastern Star attended in a body.
George L. Arms was in charge of the Masonic services at the cemetery. Pallbearers were: W. J. Knight, J. V. Holmes, Bill Petefish, Ike Williams, Clovis Cunningham and Ervin Keeter.
Jasper Marion Coats, the son of William and Rebecca Coats was born in Arkansas, April 6, 1869 and passed away at Cabool April 26, at the age of 83 years and 20 days.
Byron Everett Coats, Sr., 83, was born in the White Rock Community in Texas County, Sept. 29, 1892 and died March 23, 1976.
He was the son of the late Dr. Jasper and Susie (Florida) Coats. After graduating from Cabool School in 1911 he pursued a career in teaching and to further his education attended school at Houston, Springfield Normal College, Cape Girardeau and UCLA. Later he received his Masters Degree in Education. For over 20 years he taught in various rural schools as well as in Summersville, Mansfield and Winona, retiring from this profession in 1934. Later he successfully owned and operated a dairy farm near Cabool until retiring in 1965.
A resident of the Cabool area since 1910 he was a long-time member of the Barnes Masonic Lodge 116 at Cabool, having joined this fraternal group in 1920 and in 1971 received his 50-year pin. He was specifically intereted in education and always mentioned this in his conversations. Besides his parent two sister, Dona Stiles, Ruth Fredrick and a infant brother, Merritt, preceded him in death.
Surviving are his wife, Grace T. Coats, Cabool, two sons, Billy B. Coats, Memphis, Tenn., and Byron E. Coats, Jr., Cabool; a brother Herbert Coats, Houston; three grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Services were held Friday in the Elliott-Gentry chapel with the Rev. K. A. Bolerjack and the Rev. Robert Moger officiating. Burial with Masonic graveside rites, was in the Cabool Cemetery.
Florence Coats Ingram was born August 31, 1892, in Guthrie Center, Iowa, the daughter of Jake and Etta Neff, and died August 2, 1980 in Kabul Nursing Home at age 87 years, 11 months, and two days, following an illness of one year.
At an early age she made a committment to Christ and during her life she was a member of Bapitst churches in Summersville, Cabool and Ontario, Oregon. She also was a member of the Order of the Eastern star, Barnes Chapter #252 of Cabool. She was active in both organizations most of her life and was a dedicated Christian.
Mrs. Ingram moved back to Cabool in 1963 from Ontario where she had resided for a number of years. She grew up in Cabool where she attended Cabool Schools, graduating from Cabool High School. Most of her life was spent in Texas County.
Surviving are two sons, Billy B. Coats, Nashville, Tennessee, and Byron E. Coats, Jr. of Cabool; three granddaughters, six great grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Shannon, Ash Grove, Missouri and several other relatives.
Funeral services were 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 5, in Elliott-Gentry Chapel with Rev. K. A. Bolerjack and Rev. George taylor officiating. Burial was in Cabool Cemetery.
Billy B. Coats was born August 31, 1914 at Cabool, Missouri, to Byron Everett and Florence Neff Coats. He passed away March 15, 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 87 years.
He served in the U. S. Army during World War 11 and was past president of MLG of the Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International, a 32 degree Mason, a Shriner, and a lifelong member of Belmont Heights Baptist Church.
He is survived by his daughters, Marietta and husband Stewart Todd of Franklin, Tennessee, and Sandra and husband Dean Chase of Kingston Springs, Tennessee; granddaughters Mary E. and husband Timothy Francine and Carrie Chase; grandsons Collin and David Chase; great grandchildren Christian Everett Chase, Hilton Henning Francine and Harper Elizabeth Francine.
Services were held Saturday, March 16, 2002, at 2:00 p.m. at Belmont Heights Baptist Church in Nashville. Pallbearers were Collin Chase, David Chase, Tim Francine, Dean Chase, Stewart Todd and Dennis Gregory, Honorary pallbearers were the Dynamo Sunday School Class of Belmont Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association or the Special Olympics.
Byron E. Coats, Jr., 77, of Cabool, Missouri, died at 11:30 am Sunday, December 14, 1997 in his home near Cabool. He was born June 8, 1920 in Cabool, the second son of Byron E. Sr. and Florence Neff Coats. He was a graduate of Cabool High School and served in the US Army in the 10th, Armored Division during World War 11. He married Betty Lou Roberts in 1940 and to this union a daughter, Anne, was born.
Before opening Byron's Market, which he operated for 34 years, he was employed at Producers Creamery. For the past three years, he has worked as a greeter at the Mtn. Grove Walmart Super Center.
Byron was a member of the VFW Post 473 of Cabool and a past member of the Chamber of Commerce and Cabool Jaycees. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends who will always remember his helpfulness and friendship.
Surviving are his wife, Marietta, of the home; his daughter and her husband, Anne and Mike Truskowski of St. Louis; two grandsons, Geoff and Chris Truskowski; a granddaughter, Abbie Truskowski; a brother, Billy B. Coats, Nashville, Tennessee; two nieces; four step-children and other relatives.
Services were held 10:30 am Wednesday, December 17, 1997 in Elliott-Gentry Funeral Chapel with Keith Cunningham officiating. Burial was in Cabool
William O. Frederick, son of David and Mary Fredrick was born in Texas County, July 23, 1894 and passed away after a lingering illenss at his home in Cabool July 23, 1965 at the age of 71 years.
He graduated from Cabool high school and later taught at Tyrone, Elk Creek, Indian Creek and Cabool Schools.
He was married to Ruth Coats on July 8, 1916 and to this union one daughter was born, Mrs. Robert E. Mayfield, of Springfield.
Bill made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ early in life and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cabool. He also was a member of the Masonic Lodge.
For 25 years he was in the restaurant business in Cabool and until his illness he was supervisor of the Cabool School cafeteria.
He was preceded in death by his father, and he leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Ruth, his mother, Mrs. Mary Fredrick, Cabool, the daughter, Mrs. Alleen Mayfield, Springfield; one brother, Everett J. Fredrick, Cortez, Colo.; two sisters, Mrs. Ollie Campbell, Melbourn, Iowa; Mrs. Verda Rumsey, Milwaukee, Wisc., and three grandchildren.
Funeral services were held 2 p.m. Monday at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Arch Bolerjack and Rev. C. D. O'Neill officiating. Burial was in the Cabool Cemetery under the direction of Elliott-Gentry.
Herbert Albin (Bo) Coats, 81, youngest child of the late Dr. Jasper M. and Susie Florida Coats, was born at Simmons, Nov. 25, 1902, and died in the Kabul Nursing Home in Cabool Feb. 9, 1984.
At a young age his family moved to Cabool and he graduated from Cabool High School in 1920. In August 1929 at Ava he was united in marriage to Marjorie Keith Bonnett and to this union twin sons and a daughter were born. They lived in Houston where they operated a cafe for several years and later he served as county clerk. Both were very active in community affairs.
He was a charter member of the Houston Lions Club, charter member of the Houston Saddle Club and a member of the Twin Rivers Saddle Club. His favorite hobby was horseback riding and he participated in many trail rides over the years.
He was employed by Kraft Foods as plant manager in Houston for 24 years until his retirement.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Keith, in 1965. (my note: she was killed instantly in a car accident near Norwood, MO) In 1987 was united in marriage to Mildred Flowers. In 1975 he was married to Lorene Schoettlin who died in 1982. For the past 10 months he had resided in the Kabul Nursing Home. Surviving are two sons, Bob of Cabool and Don of Hawthorn, Calif.; a daughter, Jan Kruse of Houston, a stepson, Sonny Schoettlin of Cabool; two grandchildren, two step-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Monday, Feb. 13 in the Houston United Methodist Church with the Rev. James Norris officiating. Burial was in Pine Lawn (Pinelawn) Cemetery under the direction of Elliott-Gentry Funeral Home
A former resident of Cabool was killed Monday afternoon when a collision knocked the car in which she was riding into another vehicle five miles east of Mansfield.
Mrs. Marjorie Keith Coats, 55, Houston, apparently died instantly in the crash, troopers reported. She was riding in a westbound car driven by her son, Bob Coats, 26, of Houston, when it was rammed on the side by a left turning pickup truck driven by Harrison McIntosh, Route 1, Norwood, at the junction of US 60 and Wright County K at 4:15 p.m.
The impact knocked the Coats auto into a parked car. Bob Coats and McIntosh escaped injury according to the report of troopers.
Mrs. Coats is a sister-in-law of Byron Coats Sr., Cabool. She was born and reared near Cabool. She and her husband, Herbert, operated a restaurant in Cabool at one time. He is now the manager of the Kraft Foods Company plant in Houston.
She is survived by her husband, a 10-year-old daughter, Jana Beth, twin sons, Bob and Don, and her mother, Mrs. I. A. Bonnet.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Methodist Church in Houston. Burial will be in the Houston Cemetery.
Wreck Kills Woman from Texas County
Hazel Lorene Spears, 62, daughter of the late Loren and Care Logan Spears, was born Jun 20, 1919 near Galena. She died May 12, 1982.
Her family moved to Cabool where she attended school and graduated with the class of 1937.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a daughter, Teddy Sue and a sister, Maxine Williams.
Survivors include her husband, Herbert (Bo) Coats of Houston, a son, Sonny Schoettlin of Cabool; two step-sons, Bob Coats of Cabool and Don Coats of Hawthorn, CA; a step-daughter, Mrs. Jan Kruse of Houston; one sister, Marilyn Honeycutt of Houston, three brother, Jack Spears of Shawnee, KS, Warren Spears of West Plains and Dr. Joe Spears of Cabool and four grandchildren.
Funeral services were May 14 at the Cabool United Methodist Church with Rev. Joe Black officiating. Burial was in the Cabool Cemetery under the direction of Elliott-Gentry.
