Lawrence Wayne Coleman

August 14, 1920 - January 19, 2018

Lawrence Wayne Coleman passed away peacefully at home at the age of 97 on January 19, 2018.

Lawrence was born in Reno, NV to his parents Francis Robert and Flora Belle Coleman. He grew up in Weed, CA, at the base of Mt. Shasta, with his siblings Francis Robert Jr. (Bob) and Catherine Elizabeth (Beth). He spent his childhood climbing, camping, hiking and fishing on and around the mountain he loved. In 1937 the family moved to Los Angeles.

He joined the U.S. Navy in 1939 and served aboard submarines in the Pacific during World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service during that time. In 1951, while assigned to the naval base in Astoria, OR, he met and married a navy nurse, Margaret Mary Anderson of Sharon, CT. The couple became the parents of five daughters. After several changes of duty station ranging from Key West, FL to the island of Guam in Micronesia, the family finally settled in San Diego, CA in 1963.

He retired from the U.S. Navy after thirty years of service in 1969. He continued to work as an electrician in the naval shipyards of San Diego and on the campus of the University of California, San Diego and at the University Hospital in San Diego. He took occasional breaks from this employment to personally plan and build a large addition to the family home in Point Loma. His wife, Margaret, rejoined the workforce as a registered nurse to help with the family finances during the construction period. She continued to work in nursing until her retirement in 1982.

Lawrence became permanently retired in 1985, and spent his time enjoying life with Margaret in the home he had built, visiting with family and friends, learning to build and use computers at the age of 78, and cataloging his extensive collection of photographs that he had been taking since boyhood.

He was preceded in death by his wife Margaret, his daughter Sandra Manley (Martin) and his son-in-law Arthur Newman.

He is survived by his four daughters: Nancy Coleman, Susan Coleman, and Sherry Coleman Davenport (James) of San Diego, CA and Jane Newman of San Ramon, CA. He is also survived by his twelve grandchildren: Jessica Seilhan (Brandon) of San Ramon, CA; Lindsey Diehm (Jon) of Kailua, HI; Paul Manley (Nicole), Lauren Manley, and Dean Manley of Ramona, CA: Luke Manley (Mathea) of Spokane, WA; Adam Manley of La Mesa, CA; Sydney Manley of Oceanside, CA; Nikolai Davenport (Jillian) of San Luis Obispo, CA; Shanna Davenport and Aleezah Villa (Vincent) of San Diego, CA; and Tattiana Davenport of San Jose, CA. He was also blessed with twelve great-grandchildren: Anderson and Wyatt Seilhan of San Ramon, CA; Cameron, Cierra, Calvin and Camille Manley of Ramona, CA; Miranda, Matthew and Joshua Manley of Spokane, WA; Clara and Amelia Davenport of San Luis Obispo, CA; and Lilliana Villa of San Diego, CA.

A memorial gathering of family and friends is being planned to celebrate the lives and legacy of Lawrence and Margaret Coleman. In accordance with their wishes, their remains will be buried at sea.