William Sloan Coats

1926 - 2022

William Sloan Coats
July 8, 1926 - October 25, 2022
William Sloan Coats, Jr., died peacefully after a long, loving life on October 25, 2022. He was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on July 8, 1926, to the late Vera Jones Coats and William Sloan Coats, Sr. Sloan's great-great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland and was one of the first Europeans to settle in Athens, Ohio. Sloan's ancestors then followed the frontier across the United States. Sloan's grandfather John was born in the 1870s in what was then called Indian Territory, and Sloan's parents were both born in Tulsa. The Depression and the Dust Bowl drove the Coats family out of Oklahoma to Bakersfield, California, where Sloan graduated in 1944 from Exeter High School; he was senior class president. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Sloan attended Fresno State University, where he met the love of his life, Willa Macdonell. They married in 1949 and were devoted to each other for the rest of their lives. In 1958, Sloan and Willa moved to San Francisco. Sloan was a CPA at and ultimately the COO of Setrakian and Co., a small conglomerate in the agriculture/wine/raisin/table grapes/steamship/packing house/advertising business. The company grew 3,000 acres of grapes, which made it the largest grower in California at the time. As a child, Sloan flew in his father's Standard J-1 biplane. As an adult, Sloan owned a Cessna Skymaster and flew for work all around Central California to visit ranches, wineries, and packing houses. After Sloan retired, he worked for the United Way in San Francisco.
Sloan was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren: William Sloan Coats, III, and his wife Sherri Young Coats; Stephen Macdonell Coats and his wife Susan Stephens Coats; Carolyn Coats Nowlin and her husband William Nowlin; Christopher Nowlin; Daniel Nowlin; Devin Coats and her partner Anthony Niescier; Allyn Coats Manning and her husband Landon Manning; Hilary Coats; Sloan Coats and his partner Helen Janiszewski; and Carrie Coats and her partner Tom McCafferty; Michelle Manning; and Ryan Manning.
Sloan was a deeply funny, generous, and loving man who was devoted to his faith, his family, and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys. He is much missed. His burial services were private. Donations to Mercy Beyond Borders (Mercybeyondborders.org) in his honor would be appreciated. Go Cowboys!