Wilson Lafayette Coats, son of William and Rebecca Coats, was born in Texas County, Missouri, November 13, 1863, and departed this life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ervey Bridges, near Raymondville, Mo., April 19, 1945; age 81 years, 5 months and 6 days.
He was married to Miss Mary A. Burch November 27, 1890, and to this union nine children were born; the two eldest are deceased, William Carl died at the age of four, and the other infant dying at birth. The other seven are Wilson, of Clara, Mo.; Willard and Wilford, of St. Louis; Martha Troutman, of Kansas City, Mo.; Dorothy Shelton, of Houston, Mo.; Orpha Bridges, of Raymondville, Mo., and Pansy Rippe, of St. Louis, Mo.
He, with his family, resided in Texas County on his farm near Clara, Mo., the greater part of his life. Almost a year and a half ago he and Mrs. Coats went to St. Louis to live with their son, Wilford.
He professed faith in Christ in early manhood and joined the Union Baptist church near his home and remained a member of this church to death.
He had been sick since November, 1944, and has borne his illness with patience; all was done that loving hands could do for him to restore him to health, but it was God's will to take him unto Himself.
Besides the seven children, he leaves to mourn his going his life-long companion, who has traveled life's journey by his side 54 years; sixteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren; two brothers, William Henry Coats, of Texas, and Dr. J. M. Coats, of Cabool, Mo., and a host of other relatives and friends.
He gave his family every loving devotion and will be sadly missed by the loved ones and friends.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday, April 22, at the First Baptist church by the Rev. J. R. Halbrook.
Music services by the church choir with Mrs. Rhesa Wall as pianist. Burial is in the Houston cemetery under the direction of the Elliott Funeral Home, of Houston, Mo.
Albert Wilson Coats, 89, son of Lafate Coats and Mary Burch Coats (would be Wilson Lafayette and Mary Alice Burch Coats, so many Wilsons, hard to keep track of), was born FEB. 21, 1896, near Clara. He died Nov. 18, 1985, at the Kabul Nursing Home, following an extended illness.
He was united in marriage to Lena O. Stark April 10, 1921. The couple had three children.
Surviving are his children, Iona Cameron of Houston, Pearline Dallings of Fresno, Calif., and Eugene Coats of Houston; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Wilford of St. Louis; four sisters, Orpha Bridges and Dorothy Shelton of Houston, Pansy Rippee of Yuca, Ariz, and Martha Troutman of Tracy, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his wife on Nov. 14, 1973, and one brother Willard.
Mr. Coats spent his lifetime on the farm home near Houston, where he and Lena reared their family. Illness forced him to spend the last month at the Kabul Nursing Home.
He was a veteran of World War 1, serving in the U. S. Army from July 25, 1918, until January 1919.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church at Houston.
Services were Thurs., Nov. 21, at the Evans Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. David Gray officiating. Burial was in the Pinelawn Cemetery.
Lena Ola Coats, 83, the daughter of the late Nick and Betty Elizabeth Stark, was born Mar 4, 1890 in Mitchellville, TN and died Nov 14, 1973 in Houston.
She married Wilson Coats 1921 at Cabool, Mo, 3 children were born. She is survived by her husband Wilson of the home, one son, Eugene of Clara, two daughters, Iona Stump (must have married again, Cameron in Albert Wilson's obit) of Houston, MO and Pearline Dalinga (spelled Dallinga in Albert Wilson's obit) of Independence, KS; two brothers, Davis and Clarence Stark of Licking, MO; Four sisters, Leona Killion and Ludie Morrow of Licking, MO; Lucy Tiede of Springfield, MO, and Orbie Breece of Lockridge, LA and three grandchildren.
She and the family came to Texas County as a girl of 17 and settled near Licking. She later lived in Cabool where she and her twin sister, Leona Killion operated a hat and dress shop. Funeral services were Nov 17 in the Evans-Elliott Chapel, the Rev. Lawrence Clark officiating. Burial was in Pinelawn Cemetery.
