Maria McGraw Coats' Obituary
Maria McGraw Coats, age 63 of Marietta passed away peacefully surrounded by her children on September 24, 2024.
Maria was born to Thomas and Paula McGraw in South Amboy, New Jersey.
As a young child, Maria was raised in Red Bank, New Jersey and later moved to Pensacola, Florida.
She was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and strong in her Catholic faith. Maria was a member of St. Brigid Catholic Church where she was a Sunday school teacher.
Maria was a pioneer in the ultrasound community. She was one of the first in her field in Metro Atlanta. Maria has served tens of thousands of families over the years. She retired after more than 30 years in the profession.
Maria was proud of her Sicilian heritage, which shone through her culinary passion. She was renowned for her delicious meals, often preparing feasts for family and friends. She incorporated her faith in her cooking, hosting many traditional dinners. Everyone was welcome at her table.
She had a bigger than life personality and was boisterous, passionate, and humorous. She enjoyed embarrassing her kids and making people laugh. Maria could pull you into a conversation as easily as she could pull you into a hug.
She was an avid Notre Dame fan and cherished anything pig related, filling her home with countless keepsakes and an actual pet pig named Fred.
Maria was a caregiver at heart, feeling a sense of fulfilment in caring for all her loved ones. Most of all, she loved being a mother to her five children and Mimi to her five grandchildren whom she loved dearly.
In addition to her parents, Maria was preceded in death by her husband of 39 years, Robert Coats.
She is survived by her children, Katie Coats (Chris Dickson) of Alpharetta, Daniel Coats (Melissa) of Canton, Stephen Coats of Atlanta, Zander Coats (Brittany) of Roswell, and Christina Coats (Murice White) of Marietta; grandchildren, Patrick, Leah, Grady, JT, and Madge; siblings, Linda Garman (Bob), Tom McGraw (Tami), Rosemary Forte (Doug), and Kathy Crittenden; an abundance of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She is also survived by her beloved dogs, Stella, Cowgirl, and Gibson.
A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida on Friday, September 27th 1:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Save 1 at a Time Dog Rescue, www.save1atatime.org, or Miracle Babies at Northside Hospital, www.give.northside.com/about-us/miraclebabies.
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