Earlene B. Coleman

Earlene B. Coleman passed away quietly on December 19, 2010 at St. Joseph Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, after a brief struggle with pneumonia. Born on August 18, 1927 in Republic, MO, to Earl and Dorotha Barber, Earlene was an only child. She attended schools in Billings, MO, Republic, MO, and graduated from high school in Tulsa, OK. Earlene attended Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State University) for two years, where she met and married a returning WWII Navy veteran, W. H. "Bill" Coleman, Jr. As she told many friends, she chased him from class to class and finally caught him. She quit school in order to help put Bill through college, and with her help, he graduated in 1949. Bill then started a career in the insurance business with New York Life, which took Earlene and the family of two boys from Springfield, MO, to Columbia, MO, St. Louis, MO, Springfield, IL, Kansas City, MO, Minneapolis, MN, and finally back to Leawood, KS, in 1968. Earlene loved her family and was a stay-at-home Mom after the first child was born, until both boys graduated from high school. She later worked as an accountant for Lockton Insurance Company, retiring in 1993. Earlene was an active member of Christ Episcopal Church for many years serving as church school teacher, Women's Club President, as well as serving in other capacities on various committees. She was especially active in the 1960's with the Drug Intervention Group (DIG) when drugs became a problem in her community. She had been a caregiver all her life for neighbors, friends, and to family members who needed help. For many years, trips were made to Springfield, MO, and Republic, MO, every three weeks to care for her mother, Dorotha Barber, her aunt, Irene Netzer, and Bill's father, W. H. Coleman, Sr. Fun travel was a big part of her life. Trips were made to KC Royals Spring Training for some thirty years as part of the Royal Lancers. Muriel & Ewing Kaufman's Trip of a Lifetime was very special, along with many other cruises, both with Lancers and personal trips, like her 50th anniversary trip to Alaska. Earlene's health started to fail some six years ago. For the last 15 months, she had received excellent care from the dedicated caregivers at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living in Prairie Village. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Bill Coleman; son, W. H. "Kelly" Coleman, III and wife Linda, their son, Timothy Coleman and wife Kelli, provided Earlene and Bill their two great grandchildren, Ian and Beckett; son Mark Coleman and fiancee, Sara Worley, and their son, Will; and Mark's two children, Jack and Michaela. Earlene will be remembered always for her smile, her kindness, her concern for others, and her love for her family. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO. Visitation will be begin at 2 p.m., followed by the memorial service at 3 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the W. H. Coleman, Jr. & Earlene B. Coleman Scholarship Fund, Missouri State University Foundation, 300 South Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806.