Dr. Stephen Ralph Coates Resident of Orinda, California Oct. 4, 1951-Jan. 13, 2018 Dr. Stephen Ralph Coates passed away last Saturday after battling a heart condition for nearly 20 years. He touched many lives, both through his contribution to the common cause of mankind through his work as a biotech researcher and through his gentle spirit and love of his wife and family. Stephen was born in Mount Pleasant, Utah, thereafter moving to Salt Lake City until 1962 when the family relocated to Redlands, California where his father, Ralph, worked for Lockheed Martin on the space program as a chemical engineer Ph.D. In 1967 Stephen moved to Provo, Utah, where he met Sylvia DeHoyos, the love of his life, and attended Provo High School. After graduating from high school, Stephen and Sylvia each earned their undergraduate degrees from Brigham Young University. Stephen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology and then later a Doctorate in immunology virology. Stephen and Sylvia were married in the Manti Temple on December 12, 1970 while they were still students at Brigham Young University. Stephen and Sylvia enjoyed over 47 years of marriage together and were blessed with being one another's best friend for nearly 50 years. Stephen enjoyed success commercializing his research and development efforts while he was still a graduate student. Stephen started a small business that developed vaccines, inoculation delivery methods and other treatments for livestock in a laboratory and manufacturing facility he designed and built where he produced an inoculation against fowl cholera in commercial quantities and distributed it throughout the turkey farming industry in Southern Utah. Stephen's inoculation is credited with eradicating fowl cholera in turkeys that had previously reached epidemic proportions in Southern Utah and threatened the entire turkey farming industry in the region. Following completion of his doctorate, Stephen relocated to Encinitas, California where he worked for Calbiochem as a research scientist. In 1983 Stephen relocated to Northern California where he worked for various life science companies but spent nearly the last two decades as a Senior Scientist at Chiron Corporation, retiring from Novartis International AG following their acquisition of Chiron in 2006. Stephen was well respected by his colleagues both personally and professionally, enjoying early retirement after a 28-year career as a distinguished immunologist virologist, having been credited with the development of numerous vaccines, diagnostic tests and other novel inventions in his career. Stephen worked on the team at Chiron that is credited with the discovery of Hepatitis C and is a named inventor on two of Chiron's patents for the Hepatitis C vaccine, among a dozen patents that were issued as a result of Stephen's research and development work as an immunologist virologist. Stephen had a creative mind and artistic nature and in his spare time enjoyed working with his hands as a woodworker, builder, and designer. He oversaw and directly performed the design and remodeling of several residential homes which gave him great joy. In addition, he enjoyed traveling, motorcycles and spending time with Sylvia, his constant companion and loving wife. Stephen also loved his family and enjoyed spending time with them whenever possible. Stephen is survived by his loving wife, Sylvia, parents Ralph and Myrna Coates, sisters Jennifer Sorensen and Diane Murdock, four sons (Samuel, Joshua, Daniel and Benjamin) and four grandchildren (Jane, Thomas, Timothy and David). Friends and family attended the funeral services at the Walker Sanderson Funeral Home, 646 800 North, Orem, Utah on January 20, 2018 at 2 p.m. following a viewing for family members and friends at 1 p.m. at the same location.