John Wheatley Coates

A Passing“A passing means a task completed, a pain ended, a prayer heard, a song sung and a soul set free”John was a fifth generation Texan and leaves behind his wife, Kay Robinson Coates, his son John Wheatley Coates, II, his adored grandchildren Reigne Marie Carpenter and Cash Wheatley Coates, two sisters Amanda and Babbie Coates, numerous Robinson family members and a host of friends and his AA family members.

By God’s Grace and the love and devotion of his wife Kay (an angel disguised as a human) his friend, lover, spiritual advisor, business partner and soul mate he lived to the ripe old age of 79, which he did not expect nor deserve.

John & Kay were together for 35 years the last 25 of which have been a recovery period for him from the fatal disease of Alcoholism where he began to live a sober, happy, and contented life while growing up all over again and learning how to make a living and how to behave himself.

One of the many things that made his last years on this planet so rewarding is best described by the following written piece by an unknown Author.

THE REASON WE WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS WORK“God in His wisdom selected this group of men and women to be the purveyors of His goodness. In selecting them through whom to bring about this phenomenon, He went not to the proud, the mighty, the famous or the brilliant. He went instead to the humble, to the sick, to the unfortunate. He went to the drunkard, the so-called weakling of the world. Well might He have said to us:

Into your weak and feeble hands, I have entrusted a power beyond estimate. To you has been given that which has been denied the most leaned of your fellows. Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests or ministers have I given this gift of healing other alcoholics which I entrust to you. It must be used unselfishly; it carries with it grave responsibility. No day can be too long; no demands upon your time can be too urgent; no case be too pitiful; no task too hard; no effort too great. It must be used with tolerance for I have restricted its application to no race, no creed and no denomination. Personal criticism you must expect; lack of appreciation will be common; ridicule will by your lot; your motives will be misjudged. Success will not always attend your efforts in your work with other alcoholics. You must be prepared for adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder you must use to ascend the rungs toward spiritual perfection. And remember, in the exercise of this power, I shall not exact from you beyond your capabilities.

You are not selected because of exceptional talents, and be careful always, if success attends your efforts, not to ascribe to personal superiority that to which you can lay claim only by virtue of my gift. If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission, the power would have been entrusted to the physician and scientist. If I had wanted eloquent men, there would have been many anxious for the assignment, for talk is the easiest used of all talents with which I have endowed mankind. If I had wanted scholarly men, the world is filled with better qualified men than you who would be available. You were selected because you have been the outcasts of the world and your long experience as drunkards has made or should make you humbly alert to the cries of distress that come from the lonely hearts of alcoholics everywhere.

Keep ever in mind the admission you made on the day of your profession into A.A., namely that you are powerless and that it was only with your willingness to turn your life and will unto My keeping that relief came to you.”

No formal funeral service is planned.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the 24 Hour Club, 1142 Eikel St. New Braunfels, Texas 78130.

For those whom were unable to attend in person, please us this link to watch the recording of the service.