William D. Wells, Jr.

William “Bill” D. Wells, Jr., a respected nurseryman, landscape designer, and dedicated community leader, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, Oct. 26. He was 92.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Katharine “Kay” (Mackenzie) Wells. 

He is survived by his four children, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom he loved dearly. He also leaves behind countless friends, colleagues, and mentees whose lives he touched.

A celebration of Bill's life will be be held at a time to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to ASPCA or Canine Partners for Life.

Kay Evelyn Leto

Kay Evelyn Leto, of Kennett Square, passed away on Nov. 1, 2025. She was 88.

Born in Wilmington, Del., she was a lifelong resident of the Kennett Square area and a daughter of the late Robert and Evelyn Stoops. She was the beloved wife of Robert R. Leto, with whom she shared 64 years of marriage.

Kay was deeply committed to her faith and community. She was a longtime member of Avondale, Kennett Square, and West Chester Presbyterian Churches. 

Her greatest passion was gardening. A member of the Four Seasons Garden Club since 1964, her involvement was extensive: she served as club president multiple times and held numerous positions at the state level, including district director, convention chairman, and president. She was a nationally accredited floral and horticultural judge, and she judged many shows at the Philadelphia Flower Show and Longwood Gardens. 

In addition to her husband Bob, Kay is survived by her two sons, Raymond Leto (Emily) and their daughter, Celia and Robert Leto (Tamatha) and their sons, Gabriel (Rachel) and Parker. Also surviving are her sisters-in-law, Elaine Stoops and Wanda Stoops, and many nieces and nephews. 

You are invited to visit with Kay’s family and friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Church of the Advent at 401 N. Union St. in Kennett Square. Her funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Interment will be in Union Hill Cemetery.

To read her full obituary, please go to www.griecofunerals.com.

Don Webster Coats

Don Webster Coats, of Chadds Ford, passed away at his home suddenly of natural causes on Nov. 4, 2025. He was 84.

Born in the small town of Cahokia, Illinois, he was the son of the late Raymond and Alice Henke Coats.

Don earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University and his veterinary medicine degree from the University of Illinois in 1964. He was married in August 1965 to Martha (Marti) Botsch Coats. She was from Carmi, Illinois.

Don and Marti relocated to Centreville, Del., where he served as a small animal veterinarian at the Centreville Veterinary Hospital. For over 50 years, he cared for people and their pets through his intuition, intellect, kindness, and pragmatic approach to healing. Following his retirement, Don re-directed his medical focus to the study of honeybees and their diseases. He quickly became an active advocate for native bee pollinators through community engagement and citizen science. He established a bee species monitoring group and planted native plant pollinator gardens throughout the Brandywine Valley. Protecting the pollinators became his aspiration in life.

Don is survived by Marti, his spouse, of 60 years; one son, Reed and his wife, Georgia; three daughters, Kara and her husband, Bill, Erin and her husband, Michael, and Cori and her husband, Luigi; and six grandchildren, Owen, Jacob, Cassandra, Anna, Cooper and Gianluca. He is survived by two younger sisters, June and Joyce.

He was a veterinarian, poet, philosopher, humorist, beekeeper, runner, canoer, biker, hiker, birder, lover of music, husband, father, uncle, brother, and - most precious to him - grandfather. Nothing brought him more joy than giving his grandchildren unique experiences of the natural world in a style that only he was capable of. He helped them find adventure, look for beauty in the ordinary, and contemplate the mysteries of the world around them.

You are invited to visit with Don's family from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 22 at his spiritual home of 50 years, the Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church at 101 Old Kennett Road in Wilmington, Del.  

A celebration of life ceremony will follow at 11 a.m. All are invited to a reception afterwards. 

For those interested in commemorating his life, Don requested donations be made to either the Xerces Society, a national organization that protects native pollinators (xerces.org/give) or the Delaware Nature Society (delnature.org).

Arrangements are being handled by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. of Kennett Square (484-734-8100). 

To view his online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.