Funeral services held for former Louisville and Cleveland schools assistant superintendent Dr James M. Coleman, the father of Kathy Wray Coleman, a Cleveland activist and journalist who spoke at the funeral, among others, including State Senator Gerald Neal and Hancy Jones.....Other dignitaries their include State Representative Darryl Owens, former Kentucky State University President Raymond Burse, and former metro councilwoman Denise Bentley.... Kathy Wray Coleman said that her father was an educator par excellence' and a historian in the truest sense, and that he was community oriented and a member of the Cleveland schools desegregation team who fought for equity for Black children... Dr Coleman was a member of the Louisville and Cleveland Chapters of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Sigma Phi Pi Fraternity, and Psi Boule....By Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 5 million views on Google Plus alone.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com
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| Pictured are the late Dr James M. Coleman, the longest serving Cleveland schools assistant superintendent and a former Louisville schools assistant superintendent, and his daughter, Cleveland activist and journalist Kathy Wray Coleman. Dr Coleman died July 29, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky after a brief illness, with funeral services held August 4. Kathy Wray Coleman was among the speakers at the funeral and she described her father as "an educator par excellence' and an historian in the truest sense." |
CLEVELANDURBANNEWS.COM-LOUISVILLE, Kentucky- Funeral services were held Aug. 4, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky for Dr. James M. Coleman, the longest serving Cleveland schools assistant superintendent who was a member of the desegregation team of the 80s who retired in 1998 to return to Louisville to care for his ailing wife of 59 years, the late Dr. Gertrude White Coleman. (Editor's note: The late Dr. Gertrude White Coleman was an inductee of the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame)
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| The late Dr Gertrude White Coleman, an inductee of the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall od Fame |
He was 89 and died Sunday, July 29 at Norton's Hospital in Louisville after a brief illness..
Services were at Watson Memorial Baptist Church and were handled by A.D. Porter and Sons Funeral Home.
The Rev Ronnie Robinson of Memphis, Tennessee, who is the brother of Dr. Coleman's daughter-in-law, Tina Coleman, delivered the eulogy.
Rev Robinson compared Coleman as King James of education in Cleveland to King LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers megastar who chose to leave Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers this year as a free agent.
James Bell did the prayer, Lamont Collins, the scripture, and Marya Brown, Coleman's niece, read the resolutions.
Music was provided by songsters Louis Lipcomb and Renee Sartin.
Coleman was also a former Louisville Public Schools assistant superintendent and a former human resources director for the Louisville Courier Journal Newspaper where he influenced affirmative action.
In addition to Neal, other dignitaries there were Kentucky State Rep. Darryl Owens, former Kentucky State University president Raymond Burse, Dr Lamont Gohlston, former metro councilwoman Denise Bentley, and Hancy Jones of Psi Boule.
"Our father was an educator par excellence' and a historian in the truest sense," said Kathy Wray Coleman, the second oldest of Dr Coleman's four children, and a community activist like her late mother, and late cousin, the Rev. Louis Coleman. "We are in deep grief because we have lost the patriarch of our family."
Kathy Wray Coleman said that her father believed in family and the community, and Black children, and she urged those at the funeral to continue fighting against police misconduct and excessive force, and for Civil Rights and equity in education for Black children.
She concluded her speech by urging Louivillians to "vote Donald Trump out of office."
State Sen. Neal said that the elder Coleman was his mentor who often gave him advice on community issues.
Dr. Coleman was a native of Louisville, Kentucky where he and his wife Gertrude reared their four children, Alexis, who preceded him in death like her mother, Kathy Wray, Paul, and Natalie Coleman. He came to Cleveland in 1980 as part of the Cleveland schools desegregation team, and commuted back and forth from Cleveland to Louisville until his retirement in 1998.
Reared by his Aunt Mable Coleman, an elementary school principal, and his grandmother, Dr Coleman was a distinguished alumnus of Louisville Central High School and an army veteran who went to college on the GI bill, earning a bachelor's degree in education and later teaching history in the Louisville Public Schools before becoming an assistant principal and principal at Louisville's Russell Jr. High School, and later an assistant superintendent.
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| Dr James M. Coleman (front and center), then a Louisville Public School District assistant principal at Russell Jr. High School, and his family (from left Alexis Coleman, Dr Gertrude Coleman and Paul Coleman, and Kathy Wray Coleman at four-years old. Not yet born is Natalie Coleman, the youngest of the four Coleman children). Here the Coleman's are featured on the cover of Jet Magazine in December 1964 via a story on teachers and assistant principals moonlighting because of low pay |
Dr Coleman earned a master's degree in curriculum from Columbia University in New York and a Ph.D. in higher education and administration from Michigan State University, and was a member of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc, Sigma Phi Pi Fraternity and the Psi Boule, among other reputable organizations.
And he participated in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Young Ambassador Program.
He received several awards and accommodations, including from the Louisville Central High School Alumni Association and the Cleveland Schools Retired Administrators Association.
The second oldest of six siblings, Dr. Coleman loved people, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren.
After his retirement from the Cleveland schools after serving 17 years as an assistant superintendent he traveled abroad extensively, visiting all seven continents as well as historical venues such as the Vatican, and Gorce Island where slaves were once sold.
In addition to his late wife, Dr. Gertrude White Coleman, and his late daughter, Alexis Coleman, Dr. Coleman is preceded in death by his parents; Theodore Coleman Sr and Lillian Linton, and four of his five siblings; Donald Coleman Sr., William Coleman Sr., Katherine Coleman Jones, and Leah Wray McDowell.
He leaves to mourn his passing, a son; Paul James Coleman (Tina), two daughters; Kathy Wray Coleman of Cleveland, Ohio, and Natalie Lynn Coleman, a brother; Theodore Coleman, five grand children; Trey, Chase, Brianna, Landon and Preston Coleman, first cousins William Coleman Jr. and Robert Coleman, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, associates and friends.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 5 million views on Google Plus alone.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, and who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
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