Coates, William
Coates, William Edward “Ned”
October 13, 1959 - March 25, 2026William Edward “Ned” Coates, age 66, died suddenly from a heart attack at his home in Guelph on Wednesday March 25, 2026.
Ned was born in Cleveland, Ohio to parents William Edward Coates and Nancy Miller Coates on October 13, 1959. The family moved to Guelph in 1967 where Ned attended Centennial C.V.I. before completing studies in business at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. During his high school days, he thrived and strived in equal measure at wrestling, rugby, football and, his greatest love of all, cross country ski racing, in which he monopolized the school’s top skier award throughout his teenage years. Carrying a big personality in a small frame, he made his presence known wherever he ventured.
During his teen years, he spent his summers in Ontario’s north where he cultivated his love of life on the land, working various jobs with the Ministry of Natural Resources. He relished the experiences and friendships that grew from those times and he maintained a fervent passion for the outdoors for the rest of his life. More than anything, he cherished his time at the family’s cottage near Parry Sound, where he spent countless hours fishing, kayaking, sailing, and lovingly working to maintain the property.
He is survived by his children Dani and Andy, by his mother Nancy, siblings Victoria and Eric, nephews and nieces William, Evan and Connor Phillips, Audrey and Charlotte Coates, and great-nephew Theo Phillips.
During the rare moments that he wasn’t cycling, golfing, skiing, hiking, or paddling, Ned forged a busy career as a real estate agent in Guelph before pivoting to property maintenance with his home handyman company Get-It-Ready. Despite – or perhaps because of – a lifelong aversion to singing in public, in recent years he met the challenge head-on and dedicated himself to music, becoming a member of several local choirs and was enormously proud of conquering that demon and finding his voice. Another source of great pride was his volunteer activity, particularly with the All Nations Grand River Water Walk and a recent trip to Kenya. He will be sadly missed by friends at the Evergreen Centre and other community organizations.
The family offers profound gratitude to Catherine Moreau for her actions and generosity in the immediate aftermath of Ned’s passing.
Please join us for a public memorial service at 1:00pm, Saturday May 9 at the Arboretum Centre in Guelph. A second, private memorial for his immediate family and friends in the Georgian Bay community will be held later this summer on the water.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Georgian Bay Land Trust or to the Guelph Arboretum
