After many years of struggle with diabetes as well as kidney and liver disease, our beloved mother and friend to many, Jo Wynn (Ekern) Coats, was embraced by eternal love and peace on July 3, 2024 surrounded by her family and dedicated Hospice nurses at her home in Euless, Texas.

Jo Wynn is survived by her brother, Paul Bax Ekern; son, Dr. Steven Coats; son-in-law, Travis Miller; daughter, Michelle DeWoody; son-in-law, David DeWoody; granddaughters, Ashley Singh and Brianna Singh; her nieces and nephews, Bax Ekern, Stephanie Kolban, Brant Ekern, and Henri Naylor; as well as, many extended members of the Ekern family from the homestead in Missouri and around the country.

Jo Wynn was born in Crowell, Texas on November 12, 1946 to her proud parents, Herbert "Bert" Nelson Ekern and Francis Henri Ekern. Also eager to welcome her into the family were her brother and her grandparents, the late Worsham Baxter Johnson and Lilas Wenonah Johnson.

Jo Wynn was raised in a close-knit family of ranchers in Crowell, Texas where she grew up in the Christian faith tradition, excelled in her early public school education, enjoyed cheerleading and playing basketball, and thrived socially with peers and her elders. She also had a strong bond with her grandfather and often spoke lovingly of him and how he spoiled her - always giving her money to go buy her favorite ice cream or other treats. Jo Wynn's family life would not have been complete without the teasing, practical jokes, and love she experienced with her brother - a relationship that endured throughout her life.

In 1968, she married Mike Coats of Quanah, Texas and they had two children. Ultimately, Jo Wynn raised her children as a strong, resilient single parent. She was not concerned with fame or fortune; she simply wanted to be a devoted mother. She raised her children in Vernon, Texas where the rest of her family lived including her parents, grandmother, brother, sister-in-law, the late Beth Ekern, and her two nieces and two nephews. Jo Wynn brought up her children in the First United Methodist Church of Vernon and the excellent public schools of Vernon. Surrounded by her family and many close friends, she enjoyed a wonderful life of joy and community.

Jo Wynn's undergraduate education was completed through Stephen's College and the University of North Texas, and she completed a bachelor's degree in education with an emphasis in mathematics and special education. She then began what would become a 30-year career teaching mathematics to the most vulnerable and challenging youth from across Texas through residential placements at North Texas State Hospital and the Texas Youth Commission. In addition to that full-time teaching, she tutored many youth of Vernon in high school algebra and calculus and occasionally taught undergraduate college algebra courses. She retired in 2001 and relocated to the Dallas area where she lived with her daughter, son-in-law, and her two granddaughters.

In the latter part of Jo Wynn's life, she loved being retired and often spoke of not having a schedule tying her down every day. Instead, she delighted in helping to raise her two granddaughters and watching them become lovely young ladies who, now, are attending college. She also enjoyed maintaining her close friendships with long-time friends and new ones that she met almost everywhere she went - restaurants, grocery stores, hair salons, and the hospital/rehabilitation facilities where she received such good healthcare. Jo Wynn did not seem to know a stranger; and, she welcomed the opportunity to meet new people - always asking them questions about themselves and taking the time to get to know them. To the end of her life, Jo Wynn spoke with her children and granddaughters every day; she treated others as she would want them to treat her; and, she appreciated her life.

The funeral for Jo Wynn will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 10:00am at the Sullivan Funeral Home Chapel located at 1801 Houston Street in Vernon, Texas. After the service, all who wish may join the procession to the cemetery in Crowell, Texas where Jo Wynn will be laid to rest next to her parents. Services will be officiated by Rev. Dr. Bob Lee of the United Methodist Church. Due to the excessive heat, the family invites you to wear cool, comfortable, business casual attire.

Visitation will be Saturday, July 13, 2024 from 9:00 am until the funeral service begins.

Memorial gifts may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, American Diabetes Association, and the Trevor Project.