In loving memory of William Gerald Coons - Obituary Baldwin Brothers

Obituary

It is with extreme and deep sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of a wonderful man who was loved by so many. On Thursday, February 29^th, 2024, our beloved William Gerald Coons (Billy,) 75, of Ormond Beach, FL, went to be with the Lord and his loved ones in Heaven.

Billy was born on March 20^th, 1948, in Bluffton, IN to June and Max Coons. He moved to the Central Florida area at the age of 10 and lived in Orlando for many years. For the past 20 or so years, he made Ormond Beach his home.

Billy never met a stranger and loved talking to people, whether he knew them for a long period of time or just met them in his daily activities. He was the type of person who would not hesitate to help someone in any way he could, no matter what the circumstance, and was always there for his friends, neighbors, family, and total strangers. He had an infectious laugh, and a smile that would brighten anyone’s day. He enjoyed simple pleasures, such as going out to dinner with his wife, or going to the grocery store and chatting with anyone who was as friendly and open to conversation as he. He had a great sense of humor, and really enjoyed joking around with his friends and family.

Billy was a proud Vietnam Air Force veteran, and would frequently be brought to tears when he was thanked for his service, sometimes remarking that when he and his military brethren first arrived home, they were not warmly received.

He always got chills when the USAF Thunderbirds would do a flyover in our vicinity.

Billy loved sports, including baseball, softball, football, but especially tennis. He loved to watch tennis but loved to play it even more. Tennis was his passion, and he enjoyed the comradery and competition immensely. He also loved the Florida Gators and the Miami Dolphins, but really didn’t care who was playing as long as he could enjoy watching a good game. He loved listening to country music, and would frequently have it playing while taking immaculate care of his vehicles. He was also a phenomenal cook. He loved talking to his older sister, Peggy, over the phone, about their wonderful mother and the many experiences they had with siblings Perry (Peggy’s twin) and younger sister Nancy. He always loved to spend time with his feline pets who absolutely adored him.

He was a 1966 graduate of Maynard Evans High School in Orlando, FL. As a young man, Billy married and had two sons of whom he was very proud, Billy and Bobby. He loved seeing his sons play sports and enjoyed coaching Little League baseball for them and their friends.

Early on, he worked at Publix, and was proud to have met the founder, George Jenkins. Billy later enjoyed working in the bakery industry at Merita Bread for 30 years, eventually becoming a comptroller and a very well-liked boss. Shortly thereafter, he decided that retirement wasn’t quite for him yet, so he ultimately ended up as a night shift shipping and receiving manager at Stylemark, a local sunglass distribution firm. There he was affectionately known as “Blue,” and was loved and respected by his many employees and co-workers. It was here that he met his current wife, Dawn, and they knew that they wanted to live the rest of their lives together. He was the best husband in the universe, always willing to lend a hand cleaning and doing things around the house that needed to be done, but mostly just loving his wife unconditionally and making her feel special.

Billy was preceded in death by his mother, June Dreyer (Ash), his sister, Nancy Lindsey, and his son, Bobby Coons. He also has many beloved pets in Heaven, including his dog, Barney, and his cats Joey, Ruskin, and Jamey.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 15 years, Dawn, of Ormond Beach, his son Billy Coons (Melissa) of Silsbee, TX, his sister Peggy Lininger (Ron) of St Marys, OH, his brother Perry Thompson (Linda) of Orlando, his grandson, Patrick Ferland, of Beaumont, TX, many friends he adored, and his two cats, Tucker and Tabitha.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 6:30pm Thursday, March 7, 2024, with Visitation and Gathering from 5:00pm-8:00pm at our Baldwin Brothers Ormond Beach location, 1185 W. Granada Blvd. #11, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.

Donations may be made in Bill’s memory to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund or to any organization benefitting the homeless or less fortunate.