Judy Leah Coates
Family and friends of Judy Coates gathered to celebrate her life on Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 11:00 AM. Services were held at the First United Methodist Church in Granbury, Texas under the direction of Wiley Funeral Home. Any and all who wished to attend were welcome. Officiating was Bob Holloway and Beverly Tye. A reception will follow at the Lightning C Ranch.
Judy was born in Eastland, Texas May 12, 1936 and Jesus called her home July 7, 2021. She attended nursing school in Fort Worth, Texas where she met the love of her life, Dan Coates; a young entrepreneur running a beatnik coffee shop named, “The Coffin.” After living on the East coast for several years, Judy and Dan moved their family back to their beloved Texas and, in 1976, Granbury became their forever earthly home. They immediately became immersed in the community and involved in many philanthropic organizations. Judy served as president of Mission Granbury as well as The Women’s Wednesday Club and was a board member of the Shanley Park Association and a member of Granbury’s Beautification Council. She was member of the First United Methodist Church in Granbury and a devout member of the Friendship Sunday school class.
In 2014, Judy was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS); a rare form of cancer that attacks the bone marrow. Shortly after her diagnosis, her relationship with The Good Doctor began. Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero is a physician/scientist whose research focuses on MDS and AML. The Good Doctor was not only her physician but became a dear dear friend. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Judy’s honor to M.D. Anderson’s Cancer Center to assist in The Good Doctor’s research in understanding, treating and eventually curing this disease.
Judy is preceded in death by her parents Katherine and Dick Johns and Edward Haines, and by her loving husband Dan Coates; and other extended family.
She will be missed and survived by her children, Dan Coates and Courtney Blackman and her husband Greg Blackman, and is the proud grandmother to 14 grandchildren: Payton Blackman and wife Lindsey, Hunter Blackman and wife Taryn, Ryan Coates and wife Lindsey, Bailey Oakley and husband Zach, Claire King and husband Bryson, Chloe Blackman and fiancé Payton Cox, and Danny and Liam Coates. Judy has been blessed abundantly with 6 great grandchildren: Miles Blackman, Hadley Blackman, Maverick Blackman, Hawk Blackman, Montgomery King and Wyatt Coates. She also was honored with the title of Godmother to Austin Arnold and Kacey Klonsky; brother: Ed Haines and wife Mary Lynn; sister: Janet Johnson and husband Arvid.
Donations can be mailed to Guillermo Garcia-Manero MD Department of Leukemia M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Unit 428, 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Houston, Texas 77030 or donate to Judy Coates Memorial Fund at the link below: https://www.gofundme.com/f/judy-coates-memorial-fund?utm_source=customer...
Guests who choose to attend the memorial are encouraged to wear white in honor and celebration of Judy’s life.