Pete Coates

Pete Coates, a resident of Henry County Road 52 in Abbeville, (Screamer Community) died Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, 2007, at his home. He was 70.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, in the Holman-Abbeville Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Randy Stokes officiating. Burial will follow in Chester Chapel Free Will Baptist Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m on. Friday at the mortuary in Abbeville.

Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to the Chester Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, c/o Billy John Hudspeth, 2893 County Road 93, Abbeville, AL or to Covenant Hospice, 2855 Ross Clark Circle, Suite 110, Dothan, AL 36301.

Pete Coates was born and reared in the Screamer community of Henry County, son of the late John Wiley Coates and Pauline Calhoun Coates. He attended Wallace Community College in Dothan and studied to be an optician. After completing his education, Pete was employed by various optical businesses before going into business for himself in Montgomery. He owned and operated Coates Optical before retiring to his greatest love which is his farm in the Screamer community in Henry County. After returning to the farm in 1998, Pete and his two sons started raising chickens for Equity Group-Eufaula. However, his greatest joy was his cattle business. Pete spent much of his day enjoying watching his cows and riding on his farm. He was a member of the Chester Chapel Free Will Baptist Church and the Alabama Cattlemen's Association.

Pete was preceded in death by a step-daughter, Liiv Beasley.

Surviving relatives include his wife, Nancy Belcher Coates of Abbeville; three daughters, Renee' McNeill and husband, Mike McNeill of Tallahassee, Fla., Cathy Armstrong of Abbeville, Lisa Rico and husband, Richard Rico of Vacaville, Calif.; two sons, Tim Coates and wife, Faye Coates of Abbeville, Charlie Coates and wife, Sandy Coates of Abbeville; a sister, Dean Coates Smith of Abbeville; three brothers, John Edward Coates and wife, Mildred Coates of Eufaula, Charles Kenneth Coates and wife, Donna Coates of Alpharetta, Ga., Roger Coates and wife, Linda Coates of Eufaula; seven grandchildren, Chance Armstrong, Kristal McNeill Hawkes, Keely Coates Price, Brian Coates, Landon McNeill, Tyler Coates and Jen Hamilton; three great-grandchildren, Brayden Price, Linzy Jade Hamilton and Presley Gwen Hamilton; sisters-in-law, Janice Belcher Spinelli and husband, David Spinelli of Jupiter, Fla., Marlene Belcher Wells and husband, Roger Wells of Headland; Lisa Belcher Weathington and husband, Mike Weathington of Headland; several nieces and nephews.

Serving as active pallbearers will be Chance Armstrong, Brian Coates, Landon McNeill, Tyler Coates, Tony Davis, Ricky Coates, Tommy Coates, Sterling Vazquez and Jordan Wells.

Holman-Abbeville Mortuary, (334) 585-5261, is in charge of arrangements. Sign the guest book at www.dothaneagle.com.