Coach Willie J. (Teeny) Coats peacefully joined his Lord and Savior on Friday December 24th, 2021, at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg MS. He was 85 years old and surrounded by his loving family. Coach Coats was born in Stonewall, MS, on April 22, 1936, to Mr. and Mrs. Elgin Coats. He graduated from Stonewall High School and participated in the High School All-Star football game in 1955. Coats attended the University of Southern Mississippi, graduating in 1959. He played quarterback and safety for the football team and short stop for the baseball team. After graduating from Southern Miss, he played baseball in the Chicago Cubs organization. He later earned his master’s degree from Delta State University.
As an avid golfer, Coats was a member at the Timberton Golf Club in Hattiesburg and enjoyed playing many of the courses in central and southern Mississippi.
Coats spent 42 years coaching in MS. He made stops at Clara, Seminary, Lumberton, East Central Community College, Decatur, Quitman, Delta State University, Hattiesburg, Pearl River Community College, East Central Community College, Choctaw Central, Newton Academy and the Mississippi Pride.
Coats is a member of the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame, and the East Central Community College Athletic Hall of Fame. He also received various Coach of the Year awards.
Coach Coats was a fine Christian man who served his Lord faithfully. A priority of his, over the years, was to quickly join a church community wherever his career took him and his family. He was a strong believer in prayer and loved to study his bible. He was most recently a member of Petal Harvey Baptist Church.
Coach Coats is survived by his wife of 64 years, the former Lula Richardson of Stonewall, MS. Together they have four children: Patti Coats Ezell, Tim (Shelley) Coats, Stan (Sharon) Coats, and Kristi Coats. They also have seven grandchildren: Alan Coats, Carianne White, Brandon (Victoria) Ezell, Carmen (Brad) Ezell Hillman, Patrick (Barbara) Ezell, Conner Coats, Courtlynn Coats, and Caroline Coats. They also have seven great grandchildren: Ann-Hadli Ezell, Olivia Ezell, Dakota Ezell, Harper Hillman, Haze Hillman, Brees Ezell and Loden Ezell. He also leaves behind his brothers, Bro. Dennis Coats, Bro. Richard (Phyllis) Coats, Douglas (Sue) Coats, and Larry Mosley; and a sister, Laverne Holloman. His family was the absolute joy of his life!
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elgin Coats and Bessie Boles Dunnam; step-mother Esther Tew Coats; and brothers, Arthur Ray Long and C. W. Mosley.
Visitation will be from 12-2 p.m. and funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at Wright’s Funeral Home in Quitman MS, with Bro. Dennis Coats and Bro. Richard Coats officiating. Interment will be at Stonewall Cemetery, Stonewall, Mississippi.
Pallbearers will be Douglas Coats, Brandon Ezell, Patrick Ezell, Brad Hillman, Reggie Richardson and Jimmy Don Holloman.
Coach Coats, in typical fashion, played hard until the final whistle. He learned this value as a lifelong athlete and coach and without a doubt, lived the life he was born to live…a life well lived.
The family asks in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Coach Coats' honor to Petal Harvey Baptist Church in Petal, Mississippi.
Online condolences can be given at www.wrightsfuneral.com.
