Brian Alastair Edward Ford-Coates

Brian Alastair Edward Ford-Coates, 75, of Sarasota, FL, passed away on September 18, 2024, in the home he built for his family with his loving wife, members of three generations of his family, and his devoted dogs at his side.

Brian was born August 23, 1949, in Hamilton, OH, the son of Bruce Norman Edward Ford-Coates, a WWII veteran Royal Air Force fighter pilot, and Ernestine (Tina) Naomi Ford-Coates [Forney], a WWII veteran U.S. Army Air Corps Flight Nurse.

Brian grew up in Ohio and New Jersey, spent many happy summers at the family home on Long Beach Island, graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, in 1967, and attended Nathaniel Hawthorne College. As a young man, Brian's adventures included marching in protests, attending Woodstock, and a fateful road trip from New Jersey to Florida that ended in Sarasota, where Brian and his best friend and love of his life, Barbara [Williams], chose to make their home.

Brian and Barbara married at Point of Rocks Beach on December 2, 1972. During their 51 years of marriage, they were blessed with many daughters, excellent sons-in-law, a growing flock of grandchildren, and recently their first great-grandchild. His parents and siblings, captivated by the charm of Sarasota, chose to join Brian and Barbara in their new Florida home, becoming Sarasota residents.

Family was at the core of Brian's life, and he loved large family gatherings. Inspired by his growing family, and in no small part the occasional flooding during hurricane season, in 1991, Brian designed and built a roomy, welcoming, hurricane-safe home. Brian and Barbara cherished hosting warm family parties. The annual Christmas Eve celebration was a highlight, drawing friends and neighbors with young children who relished the caroling, reading 'The Night Before Christmas ', and the yearly Santa sighting.

In 1972, Brian started work at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, retiring from his role as Carpentry Supervisor in 2004. He was very proud of SMH and remained fond of his coworkers. During Brian's hospitalizations, he and his family were always surprised and delighted when his old friends and colleagues, hearing he was there, would pop by to say hello.

Brian's hobbies, especially after retirement, included collecting and restoring vintage objects, like Lionel train sets, that he bestowed upon his children, grandchildren, and many friends. As a Disney World passholder, he and Barbara loved sharing the not-so-small world of Disney with loved ones. His grandchildren called him Grumps, a moniker from a previous generation that Brian used as a cheeky homage to a favorite childhood Disney film and the dwarf he claimed to resemble. Like the heroine of that movie, Brian always had a few animals trailing after him, be they dogs, cats, squirrels, or, once upon a time, a dozen goslings.

Brian and Barbara, despite their love for Florida, also enjoyed exploring the United States and Canada in their motorhome, visiting 49 states and 9 out of 10 Canadian Provinces. They preferred the backroads, allowing them to chat with the locals and visit every small-town museum they could find. Brian and Barbara shared a passion for history. Brian took pleasure in giving informal and impromptu history lessons to audiences of any age, always generous with his time and the knowledge acquired through a lifetime of self-education. His favorite historical subjects were his family's Scottish clan Maclean and World War II, in honor of his parents, both veterans. Many who knew Brian say that he never met a stranger. He was generous, affable, charming, a joker, and he earned the widespread devotion of all who knew him.

Remaining to cherish Brian's memory are his spouse, Barbara Ford-Coates; children, Marla Bradeen, Laura Ford-Coates Bricker, Lan Bradeen (Brad Coburn), Anne Ford-Coates, Amy Monville (Jon), Aubrey Golding (Drew), Emily Ford-Coates (Eric Hilgendorf); grandchildren, Madeline Bricker, Autumn Delp (Lathan), Summer Weidman, Brandon Weidman (Sophi), Catherine Bricker, Aurora Benjamin, Cadence Benjamin, Jacqueline Bricker, Ewan Hilgendorf, Elsbeth Hilgendorf, Charles Monville, and counting; great-grandchild, Edward Delp; brothers, Bruce Ford-Coates (Cathy), Derek Ford-Coates (Sharon Meyer), brothers-in-law, Don Williams (Mary Catherine), Dick Williams (Judy); sister, Dr. Mary Thompson; nieces and nephews, Catherine Ford-Coates (Jake Gardner), Bruce NE Ford-Coates II, John Ford-Coates, David Ford-Coates (Carrie), Liz Ford-Coates, Lori Gibbs, Lee Cullens (Eric), Sue Wilkes (Dave), Mark Williams (Jenn), Rexie Lanier (Jeff), Mary-Lynne Williams; great nieces and nephews, Hayden, Bruce David, Brennan, Maleigha, Sofia, Becky, Rachel, Julia, Chelsea, Alexis, Alyse; his beloved dogs Phin and Rosy; and many, many friends.

Preceding Brian in death are his parents and sister-in-law, Joan Williams.

The funeral service, a celebration of Brian's life, was held on Sunday, September 22, at St. Boniface Church. Fr. Wayne Farrell was celebrant, with a heartfelt homily by family friend Fr. Reid Farrell. The Beatles' "Let It Be" and "Blackbird" were lovingly rendered by family, friends, and neighbors, adding a personal touch. The service can be viewed at https://www.bonifacechurch.org/worship

Please direct memorial donations in Brian's memory to the local chapters of Girls Incorporated and Girl Scouts. As a proud father of daughters, Brian valued the skills and confidence these organizations nurtured during his daughter’s and granddaughter’s girlhoods.

Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County; 201 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237, https://girlsincsrq.org

Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida; 4780 Cattlemen Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233, https://www.gsgcf.org