Diane Michele Coats

Diane Michele Coats, a beloved partner, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, after a long and meaningful journey.

Born in San Francisco, California, to her loving parents Charles “Ted” and Velma Coats, Diane grew up with a fiercely independent spirit and an insatiable curiosity about the world. She pursued higher education with immense passion, graduating with honors at every level. She earned her Associate’s degree from Long Beach City College, her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with a minor in Spanish from California State University, Long Beach, and later achieved her Master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) with honors from United States International University in Irvine. Dedicated to her professional life, she used this impressive foundation to shape the bodies, minds, and futures of countless students over her long teaching career. [1]

An adventurous soul in her younger years, Diane truly lived life to the fullest. Her educational journey included living with a local family and studying at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Ciudad de México, where she traveled extensively throughout Mexico learning Spanish. Always drawn to unique experiences, her path even led her to live among convent nuns for a time locally and in Africa, where she shared in their community and faith. Diane was a lifelong, avid basketball fan whose heart belonged completely to the Los Angeles Lakers. Diane loved to hit the courts playing basketball as well as coaching. She loved sports in general and even casting her line in deep waters as an avid member of her fishing club. She shared her rhythm with the world playing the guitar as a member of a local band called; Girls in the Band. She possessed a brilliant mind and a unique personality—demanding excellence from life yet giving her whole heart to those she cared for most.

Diane faced profound losses in her life, including her mother when she was 30, her beloved brother, Greg, in 1993, and her father in 2003. Diane found her second family when her father re-married Paula in 1981. She was embraced with warmth and love, remaining a cherished and vital member of the family for over 45 years.

In her later years, Diane found total contentment as a homebody, trading her travels for the quiet comfort of the home she built with her partner of 30 years, Maryann. Maryann was Diane’s best friend, her rock, and her greatest devotion. Though Diane expressed her love in her own distinct way, her deep, overwhelming love for Maryann was undeniable.

Diane never had children of her own, but she leaves behind a large, deeply connected community of lifelong friends, her devoted second family, and her partner, Maryann, who will forever cherish her memory. There is immense comfort in knowing that Diane has completed her final travel, and she has safely journeyed home to be reunited with Greg and her parents.

A private Catholic graveside service and Rite of Committal will be held for the immediate family at Ascension Cemetery in Lake Forest.