The Reverend Coleman Inge

Coleman Inge died peacefully on January 27, 2015. Born in Mobile, he attended Miss Julia Kearns Kindergarten, Leinkauf Elementary, Barton Academy, and Murphy High School, graduating in 1945. He received infantry and machine gun training in the U.S. Marine Corps, but World War II ended before he went overseas. After his honorable discharge, Inge entered the University of Alabama where he served as editor of the 1949 Corolla and was a member of DKE social fraternity. He was in the Air Force ROTC and commissioned Second Lieutenant. He received a B. S. Degree in Education in 1950 and taught eighth grade history and geography at Glendale School in Prichard for two years. While serving on a sea-going tug in the Merchant Marine one summer, Inge crossed the Arctic Circle to enter the Northern Domain of the Polar Bear. That voyage was a secret mission for the government, carrying supplies to Greenland for the construction of an air base. He then entered seminary at St. Luke's School of Theology, Sewanee, Tennessee. While there, Inge helped found St. Phillip's Episcopal Church in Fort Payne, Alabama. After earning a Master of Divinity degree in 1956, he was ordained deacon at Trinity Episcopal Church in Mobile. Inge served as a missionary to the Athabascan Indians on the Yukon River in the Missionary District of Alaska from 1956-1959. He was ordained priest at St. James' Episcopal Church in Tanana, Alaska. He loved telling "Alaska stories" of his time there to many eager listeners. From 1959-1964 Inge served simultaneously as rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Greensboro and St. Wilfrid's Church in Marion and as chaplain to Episcopal students at Marion Military Institute and Judson College. He returned to Mobile with his family to serve as rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church until 1986. He also served as vicar of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Irvington; started St. Francis Mission, Dauphin Island; and founded Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, a mission church of St. Luke's. When the Diocese of Alabama became too large, Inge served on the committee that created the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast in 1979. The new diocese included the lower third of Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. He served as chaplain to Wilmer Hall for twelve years. In 1977 he assisted Bishop George Murray in establishing Cursillo in the diocese and served on staff at more than twelve Cursillo weekends. In 1986 Inge accepted a call as rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Foley, where he served until his retirement from full-time parish ministry in 1995. Afterwards he served for ten years as a supply priest to parishes in Fairhope, Atmore, Mobile, and other cities. From 2000-2010 he was chaplain of Murray House, the assisted living facility of the diocese. Inge felt he had never really worked because he enjoyed his ministry so much. He also enjoyed his family, friends, sailing, classical music, reading, traveling, and his dogs. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Herndon and Margaret Adams Erwin Inge; his brothers, Zebulon Montgomery Pike Inge, Herndon Inge, Jr., John Erwin Inge, and Samuel Williams Inge; and his sisters, Imogen Inge Fullton and Molly Erwin Inge Crown. He is survived by his wife, Jean Inge; son, Coleman Inge, Jr., and his wife, Prapasri "Ouan" Wiriyapaibul of Bangkok, Thailand; daughter, Mildred Inge Wakefield and husband, Dr. George Hollin Wakefield III, of Montgomery; stepson, Brad Penton; stepdaughter-in-law, Tonya McLean Penton; grandchildren, George Hollin Wakefield IV and Mandeville Anne Wakefield; step grandson, Bradford Penton, Jr.; sisters-in-law, Marie Sheldon Inge and Alice Mighell Glover Inge; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; and a host of friends. A visitation will be held Saturday, February 7, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. in St. Luke's Episcopal Church Parish Hall, followed by a memorial service in the church at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 1050 Azalea Road, Mobile, AL 36693, or to your favorite charity.