Stan Coito was the only child born to Joseph and Josephine Coito, Portugues immigrants from the Azores Islands. Stan spent his childhood working on the dairy owned by his parents in the town of Easton. His days were spent milking cows, bailing and hauling alfalfa, as well as harvesting the cotton fields. Also, during childhood, Stand spent his days in attendance oat both West Park and Washington Colony Elementary School, where in the year 1949, he would graduate from Washington Union High School.
In 1951, Stan joined the United States Navy, completing basic training at NTC, San Diego. Traveling amongst the USS Montague AKA98 at Mare Island, Stan would participate in assault landings in Korea, as well as in the evacuation of the Vietnamese from Hanoi, Vietnam before taking them to Saigon in Operation Passage to Freedom. In March of the year 1955, Stan would be honorably discharged continuing his journey in the Navel Reserve, instructing classes at the Navel Reserve Station in Fresno until 1959.
While participating in the Naval Reserves, Stan would meet Loretta Merk, who was the sister of a fellow reservist. On January 19, 1957, Stan and Loretta would marry and begin raising their five children- Carla, Bryan, Darin, Kim and Mari. While raising their family, Stan would enroll into higher education under the GI Bill. In the 1968, Stan would obtain his bachelor's degree in industrial arts education, where later, he would teach and eventually become principal. Upon retirement, Stan initiated a second career in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as with the Community Integrated Work Program, where Stan worked with developmentally disabled for twenty years before retiring once more in April of 2016.
Adding to the nuclear family of Stan and Loretta are ten grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Throughout his life, Stan had a passion for introducing these proceeding generations to his hobbies, which included racing, sharing dairy and military stores, as well as volunteering at the Veteran's Memorial Museum Inc in Fresno, California, alongside his best friend, Fred Machado. Peacefully, Stan parted in physical form from his family and joined our Lord on the morning of Sunday, December 24, 2023, after almost sixty-seven years of marriage to Loretta and ninety-two years of existence amongst our worlds.
A funeral service for Stan will be held Thursday, January 4, 2024, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at Stephens and Bean Funeral Chapel, 202 North Teilman, Fresno, CA 93706, with interment immediately following at Washington Colony Cemetery located at 7318 S. Elm Ave, Fresno, CA.
Stan would appreciate donations to be made to the Veteran's Memorial Museum Inc in Fresno, California and the family would appreciate donations to be made to the exceptional assistance of Hinds Hospice, who made the transition of Stan's departure one of great beauty and peace.
The family invites those who were unable to attend in person to watch the service via the link below.
https://vimeo.com/900020187
Password: Coito
