Gene W. Coleman
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Gene W. Coleman, 78, of Greenfield, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 at Doctor’s Hospital West, in Columbus.
He was born on Aug. 19, 1939 in Greenfield, a triplet son of the late Charles E. Sr. and Susie L. (Jackson) Coleman.
A lifelong resident of Greenfield, Gene served many roles as a public servant for the city, but his largest role was that of being the first African-American police officer for the Greenfield Police Department, serving 29 years before retiring in 1984.
He was selected as the grand marshal of the 2016 Greene Countrie Towne Festival Parade in honor of his service. He was also a former employee of Collins Packing. He was actively involved with the local youth, having volunteered his time coaching numerous Little League baseball and basketball teams. He was a longtime member of the Zion Baptist Church in Chillicothe, the African-American Legion Post 653 in Washington C.H., and the Ohio Field Trial Association.
Gene loved racing greyhounds with his sons, hunting with his brother and nephews, and playing the horses at the track. He was well known as a vivid story teller, a ruthless card player and as “Grandpa” to not only his grandchildren, but also to many of his nieces and nephews and all of their friends.
On Feb. 2, 1963, he married Brenda L. Thomas, who preceded him in death on Aug. 17, 1997.
He is survived by one daugher, Jevonna Coleman of Columbus; three sons and a daughter-in-law, Gene Eric Coleman of Greenfield, Jeffrey L. Coleman of Columbus, and Patrick and Paula Coleman of Greenfield; seven grandchildren, Kemika (Angel Luciano) Coleman, Shanna (Marcus Burns) Coleman, Ryan Coleman, Janelle Coleman, and Jhaela Coleman, all of Greenfield, and Kendal Coleman, and Kirstie (Antonio Truss) Coleman, both of Columbus; three great-grandchildren, Mekhi, Khadijah, and Karlee; two sisters-in-law that he and his wife raised as their daughters, Roshell (Kevin) Dennis of Columbus and Laquata Thomas of Cincinnati; a niece and nephew and their children raised as his grandchildren, LaTrisha Harley and her children, Sierra, Stanley and Stephan and Basilo (Dana) Harley, Jr. and his son Bryce; five brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald and Ann Coleman of Lincoln, Neb., Byron “Pete” and Phyllis Coleman of Fayetteville, N.C., James and Beverly Coleman of Kalamazoo, Mich., Daniel Coleman of Greenfield, and Ronald and Joanne Coleman of Bellbrook; and a host of nieces and nephew and family friends, Treva Adkins and Charles “Pops” Howard.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters and a brother-in-law, Charlotte and William Byrd, Estella Jackson, Evelyn Coleman, and one in infancy; four brothers and sisters-in-law, his triplet sibling and best friend, Glenn H. and Cherry Coleman, Charles E. Jr. and Jeanne Coleman, and two in infancy, including his and Glenn’s triplet sibling.
Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Greenfield First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Troy Gray officiating. Burial follow in the Greenfield Cemetery.
Friends may call upon the family from 11a.m.-2.p.m. and again from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29 at Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield.
Condolences may be sent to www.murrayfettro.com.
He was born on Aug. 19, 1939 in Greenfield, a triplet son of the late Charles E. Sr. and Susie L. (Jackson) Coleman.
A lifelong resident of Greenfield, Gene served many roles as a public servant for the city, but his largest role was that of being the first African-American police officer for the Greenfield Police Department, serving 29 years before retiring in 1984.
He was selected as the grand marshal of the 2016 Greene Countrie Towne Festival Parade in honor of his service. He was also a former employee of Collins Packing. He was actively involved with the local youth, having volunteered his time coaching numerous Little League baseball and basketball teams. He was a longtime member of the Zion Baptist Church in Chillicothe, the African-American Legion Post 653 in Washington C.H., and the Ohio Field Trial Association.
Gene loved racing greyhounds with his sons, hunting with his brother and nephews, and playing the horses at the track. He was well known as a vivid story teller, a ruthless card player and as “Grandpa” to not only his grandchildren, but also to many of his nieces and nephews and all of their friends.
On Feb. 2, 1963, he married Brenda L. Thomas, who preceded him in death on Aug. 17, 1997.
He is survived by one daugher, Jevonna Coleman of Columbus; three sons and a daughter-in-law, Gene Eric Coleman of Greenfield, Jeffrey L. Coleman of Columbus, and Patrick and Paula Coleman of Greenfield; seven grandchildren, Kemika (Angel Luciano) Coleman, Shanna (Marcus Burns) Coleman, Ryan Coleman, Janelle Coleman, and Jhaela Coleman, all of Greenfield, and Kendal Coleman, and Kirstie (Antonio Truss) Coleman, both of Columbus; three great-grandchildren, Mekhi, Khadijah, and Karlee; two sisters-in-law that he and his wife raised as their daughters, Roshell (Kevin) Dennis of Columbus and Laquata Thomas of Cincinnati; a niece and nephew and their children raised as his grandchildren, LaTrisha Harley and her children, Sierra, Stanley and Stephan and Basilo (Dana) Harley, Jr. and his son Bryce; five brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald and Ann Coleman of Lincoln, Neb., Byron “Pete” and Phyllis Coleman of Fayetteville, N.C., James and Beverly Coleman of Kalamazoo, Mich., Daniel Coleman of Greenfield, and Ronald and Joanne Coleman of Bellbrook; and a host of nieces and nephew and family friends, Treva Adkins and Charles “Pops” Howard.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters and a brother-in-law, Charlotte and William Byrd, Estella Jackson, Evelyn Coleman, and one in infancy; four brothers and sisters-in-law, his triplet sibling and best friend, Glenn H. and Cherry Coleman, Charles E. Jr. and Jeanne Coleman, and two in infancy, including his and Glenn’s triplet sibling.
Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Greenfield First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Troy Gray officiating. Burial follow in the Greenfield Cemetery.
Friends may call upon the family from 11a.m.-2.p.m. and again from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29 at Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield.
Condolences may be sent to www.murrayfettro.com.