About Us

History

Coats Funeral Home was founded by Robert H. Coats in 1925 on Parkside Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It has been a trusted community resource and one of the oldest in the area. Today, Coats and their staff offer warm, compassionate, and personalized funeral services in Waterford and Clarkston.

Humble Beginnings

In 1925, a Detroit house on Parkside Avenue near Fenkell represented the first Coats Funeral Home. In 1933, Robert’s son Leonard joined the family business. In 1950, Leonard moved his family north to a small, rural community in Waterford/Drayton Plains where many Detroiters vacationed on nearby Lakes. Leonard's son Robert M. (Bob) joined the family profession in 1958, and his daughters Heidi and Heather joined the business in 1987 and 1989, respectively. In 2015, Coats Funeral Home was acquired by The Turowski family, another fourth-generation funeral home. The Coats family and staff have continued to serve families with warm, compassionate, and personalized funeral services as they have always done and will continue to do.

The Coats Funeral Home building has been enlarged three times over the years. The second floor was the residence for 2 generations of the Coats family until Robert H. died in 1971, his wife Lena in 1990, along with son Leonard in 1980 and his wife Mabel in 2004. Following Mabel's death, the funeral home was remodeled for the third time, utilizing the entire building for business needs.

Coats Equals Strong Values

When Leonard’s son Bob married his wife, Lois, they strongly believed in taking care of family, friends, and neighbors. As the third generation of Coats, Bob instilled these philosophies within his children and staff to provide the quality service that families have come to expect from Coats Funeral Home.

Thus, the Coats values come through within the people and processes at Coats Funeral Home. Staff members are carefully selected to possess the values of family, caring for others, and community. Processes are designed to serve you and your family in honoring your loved one.