Michael COATES

COATES, Michael R. MD 78, passed away Friday, August 30, 2024. Michael was born on June 22, 1946 to Robert and Vivian Coates in Cincinnati, Ohio. He moved to Pinellas County in 1955, and was a 1964 graduate of Boca Ciega High School. He received both his Bachelor of Science and his MD degrees from The University of Florida where he was a proud Sigma Chi Brother. He completed a five-year residency at Harbor General/UCLA in General Surgery. He then completed a two-year fellowship in Plastic Surgery in Phoenix, Arizona prior to returning to his beloved St. Petersburg to set up his first practice. He was Board-Certified and a highly respected and sought-after surgeon, providing exceptional personal care to his patients for more than 22 years before retiring to Dunnellon, FL and Glenville, NC. An avid golfer, he was a former member of Pasadena Country Club, Seminole Lake Country Club and Trillium Country Club. He was a member of The Polywogs, and enjoyed boating on his beloved Withlacoochee River and Lake Glenville, NC while spending time with his family and friends, including his many canine and feline family members. He was an accomplished snow skier and motorcycle enthusiast and he and his wife took many trips enjoying snow country out West and riding in the hills of North Carolina. A true animal lover, he was affectionately called "Saint Francis" because of his ability to find lost and abandoned dogs and cats and find new homes for them. He was a man of great wit, a wicked sense of humor and an enormous heart. When asked how he would like to be remembered, his reply was "as a good man that always tried to do the right thing." Michael was predeceased by his sister, Sandy Gibson. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Diane "Dee" Coates of Dunnellon; his son, Marshall Lowe, Largo; brothers-in-law, James Gibson, Seminole, FL and Rick Nulty (Chris) DeBary, FL; niece, Tara Wheeldon (Matt), and grand-nieces Morgan and Makena, Trinity, FL. There will be a Celebration of Life scheduled at a later date.