Charles Robert "Bob" Coats, 85, of Huntsville, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 8, 2025. He was born on August 25, 1939, to Gus and Lila Coats of Auburn, Alabama. Bob grew up in his hometown, attending Auburn City Schools from first grade in 1945 through his graduation from Auburn University in 1962.

While in college, Bob was the Assistant Manager of the Paramount Studios' Tiger Theater, where his father, Gus Coats, had been the manager     since 1935. Upon completion of his  degree in accounting, Mr. Coats received his commission as an officer in the United States  Army. Mr. Coats was first stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, serving on the Florida coast in support of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. He was then stationed in Korea with the 2nd Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armor. Upon completion of his active-duty service, he returned to  Auburn, where he met Patricia Marshall of Huntsville in the fall of 1964. She was a student at  Auburn University, and they met while standing in line to purchase football tickets. They were married in June 1965 at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Huntsville.

Bob and Pat began married life in McComb, Mississippi, where he was a pharmaceutical salesman for Merck, Sharp & Dohme. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Birmingham for Bob to begin his career as a Certified Public Accountant with Touche Ross. All three of their children were born in Birmingham. Bob later worked in corporate accounting with Pizitz and Burger Phillips in Birmingham, and then for H.J. Wilson Company and Cohn Turner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 1983, Bob returned to public accounting with Eppling Business Services in  Huntsville. In 1985, he established his own firm, C. Robert Coats, C.P.A., retiring in 2021 after more than fifty years in accounting, with twenty-five of those years practicing with his oldest  daughter, Linda.

In September 1990, Bob's National Guard unit was put on alert due to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. His unit was activated in October 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield. He returned to Fort Benning, Georgia, and was eventually deployed overseas for Desert Storm in November 1990. He served with the 109th Evacuation Hospital, a 400-bed semi - mobile unit stationed on the Saudi Arabian/Iraqi border.

Bob gave generously of his time to his community. He was an active member of the Metropolitan Kiwanis Club for over thirty years, belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, and was a member of First Presbyterian Church for more than four decades, where he served multiple terms as both deacon and elder.

Mr. Coats is preceded in death by his parents, Gus and Lila Coats of Auburn, Alabama; his brother, Gus Symmes Coats of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; and his nephew, Robert Symmes Coats of  Marietta , Georgia.

He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Patricia Marshall Coats; his daughter, Linda Coats Williams, and husband, Bryan Williams, of Ardmore, Alabama; his daughter, Deborah Coats Rogers, and husband, Bruce Rogers, of Chesapeake, Virginia; and his son, Charles Patrick Coats, and wife, Lyndsay Coats, of Harvest, Alabama. Bob also leaves eight grandchildren: Katelyn Anderson Ritenour and husband, Brandon Ritenour, USAF (2013 - 2019 ); Alex Anderson, USMC (2017– 2023), and wife, Carolynn Anderson, USN (2017 – present) all of ​Chesapeake, Virginia; Thomas Harrison Coats, of  Auburn, Alabama; Brian Robert Coats,of Madison, Alabama; Bryan Rogers, USAF (2007- present ), of  Anchorage, Alaska; Scotty Rogers of Staunton, Virginia; Sam Rogers; and Emily Rogers, both of Chesapeake, Virginia; and two great-grandsons.

The family will receive friends Friday, August 22, 2025, at Berryhill Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 PM. A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 2:00 PM with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Therapy Partners, Inc.  2227 Drake Avenue, Huntsville, AL  35805