William Haskell Coleman Jr.

Born on September 16, 1924 in Steelville, MO to William H. Sr. and Ella Coleman, Bill was an only child. At age one, his family moved to Springfield, MO where he would go through the public school system. After high school, Bill enrolled in Drury College in Fall 1942, and shortly after entered the Navy.

Bill was ordered to Active Duty in December 1942 and reported to bootcamp where he earned Honor Man of his Company. This honor led him through various tours of duty, where he flew as an aviation radioman and gunner on a TBF Torpedo Bomber. Bill was stationed primarily on the Atlantic Coast, and battled with feelings of regret and fortune that some of his bootcamp comrades were sent to the Pacific Coast. He was Honorably Discharged in April 1946.

After his service in the Navy, Bill returned to Springfield, MO and enrolled at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University), where he would meet his future wife, Earlene Barber. As they said, Earlene “kept him on track and out of trouble… most of the time.” Bill and Earlene were married in June 1947, and following his graduation in 1949, he entered the insurance industry.

The life insurance business took Bill, Earlene and their two sons from Prudential Insurance to New York Life, where he served as an Agent and Office Manager. They relocated from Springfield, MO to Columbia, MO; to St. Louis, MO; to Springfield, IL; to Kansas City, MO; to Minneapolis, MN; and back again to Kansas City, where he and his family have lived since 1968. Bill retired as a General Manager in Kansas City in 1986, but continued as an Agent for the next 40 years. His efforts and production earned him countless awards and recognitions from 1968 through 2014.

The insurance industry and Bill’s love of baseball drew him to the Kansas City Royals. He joined the Royal Lancer Group in 1977 with the purpose of Public Relations and Season Ticket Sales. Bill served as President of the group in 1989 and continuously held a position in the Top 10 of ticket sales, achieving the #1 spot in 1993.

Both the life insurance business and the Royal Lancers developed one of Bill and Earlene’s many joys in life – traveling the world. They annually traveled to Royals Spring Training for 30+ years, visited Alaska on their 50th wedding anniversary, escaped to Europe, and saw many states and cities in both the Midwest and along both coasts.

Bill also enjoyed music and theatre, especially jazz. He frequently found time to see the Red Onion Jazz Babies, and would consistently see shows in New York with Earlene and other family members. Earlene kept meticulous notes of the trips they took and events they attended, including Playbills from over 25 productions on Broadway in NYC.

Bill survived his spouse of 78 years, Earlene (December 2010), and is survived by son, W.H. “Kelly” Coleman III, grandson Timothy Coleman and wife Steph Beard, great grandchildren Ian and Beckett; son Mark Coleman, grandchildren Jack and wife Jennie, Michaela, Will, and Drew.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 11th at Church of the Resurrection-Wesley Chapel (13720 Roe Blvd., Leawood, KS 66224). A Visitation period will be held at 10:00 a.m. with a Memorial Service following at 11:00 a.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.