Donna L. (Dinant) Coats

Donna Lorraine (Dinant) Coats, of Brockton, and formerly of Houtzdale, PA, died peacefully in her sleep on Monday, May 15, 2023. She was 85.

She was the loving wife of Rawson “Bud” Coats, with whom she shared 55 years of marriage.

She was born in Houtzdale, PA, to Lorraine and William Dinant on Feb. 28, 1938. She attended Houtzdale - Woodward - Brisbin High School, graduating in 1955, and completed her RN training at Philipsburg School of Nursing in 1958.

After completing her schooling, she moved to New York City where she was employed by Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. She also lived for about a year each in London, San Francisco, and Denver, CO, and was always grateful to have experienced those parts of the world before she returned to live in New York City.

She met her husband, Bud, in New York City in December 1966, and they married within a year. They lived briefly in Greenwich Village, NYC before moving for a short time to Waltham, then settling in Brockton. She worked most of her career as an RN in various nursing positions at Brockton Hospital and then New England Sinai Hospital in Stoughton.

She was a person of great faith and loved her Savior, Jesus, with all her heart.

She was a faithful member of the Immanuel Baptist Church, of Brockton, MA, which she and Bud joined in 1983, and she sang in the church choir for many years.

Her family will attest that she was an unbeatable Scrabble player and later brought those skills online where she continued to dominate on Words with Friends. She also was an amazing cook, especially her one-of-a-kind savory pot roast and sour dough bread. Her quick wit was ever-present, easily making friends and strangers alike laugh with her warm and ready sense of humor. She was also a voracious reader, particularly favoring Agatha Christie novels.

She had the opportunity to travel again later in life when she and her daughter, Audrey, celebrated her 80th birthday with a cruise to Alaska, visiting Anchorage, Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park.

She is survived by her husband; her daughter, Audrey L. Coats, of Gloucester, MA; her son, Gregory W. Coats, his wife, Nickelle “Nikki” Coats, and granddaughter Lili Coats of Freeport, FL; her grandson, Jeffrey Coats, of Bridgewater, MA; her granddaughter, Laney Maher and great-grandson Kobe Maher of Fort Walton Beach, FL; and her brother, Keith W. Dinant, and his wife, Rosemarie I. Dinant, of Gloucester, MA. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, William.

A memorial service will be held Saturday June 10 at 10:00am, at Immanuel Baptist Church, 92 Alger St., Brockton, with the Rev. Dr. John Beals officiating.

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