Joan M. Coates, 78, Bettendorf, Iowa; formerly of Dubuque, passed away on Monday, July 29, 2024 at the University of Iowa Hospital after a 5 year battle with cancer. Visitation will be Sunday, August 4, 2024 from 1:00 - 4:00pm with a Rosary at 1:00pm at Weerts Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, August 5, 2024 at 10:00am at St. John Vianney Catholic Church; there will be a visitation starting at 9:00am. Burial will be following the service at 1:00pm at the Dubuque Memorial Gardens. Memorials in Joan's name may be made to Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa Hospital.
Joan was born on August 5,1945 in Dubuque, Iowa to John and Pearl (Pregler) Ohnesorge. She attended Wahlert High School in Dubuque until her final semester, graduating from Hayes Catholic High School in Muscatine, Iowa in 1963. On April 26, 1969 she was united in marriage to Dale Coates. In her earlier years, Joan worked as an office manager at Loras College, University of Dubuque, and Clarke College and she greatly enjoyed working with the students on a day to day basis. Joan's family was her greatest joy. After retirement, they moved to the Quad Cities; just minutes from their daughter and an hour from their son gave her what she called "the best years of her life" watching her grandchildren grow up.
Joan had a passion for attending estate sales. Her passions included antique sewing machines facilitating her hobby of creating quilts that were much appreciated by her family and enjoyable sewing sessions with her sister. In addition to sewing, her love of baking saw her routinely surprising her beloved grandchildren with their favorite recipes. Her gardening skills had walkers pausing to view her plant filled yard and her backyard became prolific with vegetables to freeze and can.
Joan's life was greatly blessed and enriched by the many faithful brothers and sisters she met through her involvement with the Marian Movement of Priests and the Cenacles she joined which promoted Our Lord's teaching on the "Gift of Living in the Divine Will", which He gave to us through the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta.
Those left to honor her memory are her husband of 55 years, Dale; children Kevin (Mandy) Coates of North Liberty and Kelly (Greg) Bachman of Davenport; five grandchildren Jake, Nate, Carly, Cooper, and Chloe; and siblings John (Pat) Ohnesorge of Naples, FL, Judie (Robert) Harron of Dubuque, and Jim (Becky) Ohnesorge of Dubuque.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Jean Williams.
