Mary Ann Coates

I lost my best friend and life's companion of 65 years, after a fourteen-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. Mary Ann leaves her Loving and adoring family: Husband John Coates; Daughter Beth Bissell & Son in Law Mark Meyer, Son Joe Coates & Daughter in Law Jackie Coates; Granddaughter Kayla Coates; Grandsons Blake Bissell, Trevor Bissell and Jackson Coates; Sister June Leibenderfer Johnson.

Mary Ann was born April 27, 1939, in Bronxville, NY to John and Elsa Leibenderfer. She moved to Norman Oklahoma when her father accepted a position as a professor in the Finance Department at OU. She was a proud member of Norman High School class of 1957, and her Norman friends called her Red!

Mary Ann was a 1963 graduate of OU with a BS Degree in Mathematics and taught grades 9-12 in Math and Science at Casady School.

After high school her best friend died unexpectantly, and it was so upsetting she returned to OU and received a M.S.W. degree from the school of Social Work. She also received a Certificate in Psychanalytic Studies in 1997 from the Colorado Center for Psychoanalytic Studies in Denver Colorado. She spent the rest of her professional life providing therapy service to her clients and was a Board-Certified Diplomat in Clinical Social work. She also served as a therapist in the In-Patient unit at Central State Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman Oklahoma.

Mary Ann was a true German Chef, and her specialty was German pancakes which she learned from her Mother Elsa. She loved music of all kinds. She attended a summer session on dance at the University of Kansas and was a member of the OU Dance Club Orchesis. She was one of the toughest Ladies I have ever known. She was an excellent skier, both snow and water. She was an avid reader and had an incredible collection of cookbooks in her library.

She Loved birds and filled the bird feeder daily. She was an excellent shot with a rifle or her "Grackle Gun". She had an incredible ability to deal with anyone who helped her in such a way that they absolutely loved her from then on. She loved to work at our family ranch in Logan County and could run the zero-turn mower.

Mary Ann was extremely loyal to her friends and family. If you crossed her or hurt a loved one, there was no coming back. She was strong and had a grip that was almost impossible to get loose or escape.

As the disease progressed, she spent the Last two years at Legends of Edmond memory care facility. She had incredible help from some special ladies that she loved. I would Like to mention them at this time; Michele Shanklin, Priscilla Hughes, Beauty Yarngo, Robbin Morgan, Sharon Houston and Jocelyn Swayze.

Our family will always be grateful for the help these loving care givers gave to Mary Ann during her fight with this terrible disease.

I will miss her everyday for the rest of my life!

Listed below are her professional contributions to the community:

                 2002-present

                                              Oklahoma Society for Psychoanalytic Studies

                                       Faculty, Clinical & Theoretical, One Year Course in Psychoanalysis

In honor of Mary Ann's memory, donations may be made to Sunbeam Family services.

https://sunbeamfamilyservices.org/get-involved/donate/

or

Development
Sunbeam Family Services
1100 NW 14th St.
OKC, OK 73106