Marjorie Coleman
Marjorie Coleman
Marjorie Coleman
1928-2016
Marjorie Inez (Margie) Coleman was born on Aug. 9, 1928, in Binger, Okla., to Mary Elizabeth (Neff) Pearce and Frank James Pearce.
(She was an avid Mickey Mouse fan and collector because he was created in 1928, too!)
Mrs. Coleman spent most of her childhood in Raymondville before moving to the Texas Hill Country in her early teens. She attended schools in Kerrville, graduating from Tivy High School in 1945. After high school graduation, she began studies on her nursing degree at Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio.
On July 6, 1946, she married her husband of almost 70 years, Albert Morris Coleman. The following year, their daughter Beverly was born. She reveled in her home life, but continued to work on her nursing degree whenever she had the chance.
Al's job required him to transfer numerous times including a move to Amarillo where daughters Susan, Mary and Cindy were born. Later the family moved to Nebraska and then back to their beloved Texas. Margie was an incredibly strong woman who took all the moves in stride, making many dear friends along the way.
She was always involved in church activities including teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir. She enjoyed serving as a Girl Scout leader as well.
While raising her four daughters and managing the household, she finished her studies and graduated with two Bachelor of Science degrees (psychology and nursing) from Texas Woman's University in 1977.
In the early 1980s, she and Al had the opportunity to move to the country in East Texas and build a home in Wills Point. They treasured the home that was filled with love and laughter for 30 years.
Every grandchild knew they were loved unconditionally by their "nana" who looked forward to the next opportunity to spoil her "babies" when they came to visit at the ALMAR ranch.
She enjoyed antiquing and hunting for thrift store treasures.
She served on the board of the Van Zandt County Historical Society.
She and her daughter, Susan started a craft business, Hen House Handicrafts, and enjoyed setting up their portable "shop" at many East Texas venues including First Monday in Canton, the Bluebird Festival in Wills Point and others.
She also was a huge nature lover. From animals to flowers to birds, especially hummingbirds, she could never get enough time with her natural surroundings. The bird feeders were always full. The ALMAR was home to a variety of wildlife, but also dogs and even goats at one time. Margie was instrumental in having the ALMAR designated as a wildlife preserve.
She was preceded in death only 20 days previously by her loving husband, Albert Morris Coleman.
She is survived by four daughters and their spouses, Beverly Birdwell (Carl), Susan Pyle (Steve), Mary Whitney (Dennis) and Cindy Wren-Gray (Bradley); 15 grandchildren, Elizabeth Birdwell Heffernan (Robert), John Birdwell, Thomas Birdwell (Kelly), Christopher Pyle, (Leisa), Jennifer Pyle Cecil (Blake), Andrew Pyle (Geneva), Benjamin Whitney (Allison), Caitlin Whitney Burnett (Ryan), Emily Whitney Ward (Clifford), Michael Whitney, Hailey Shaw Schiele (Byron), Clara Wren, Madeline Wren, Oxford Gray and Oakley Gray; 11 great-grandchildren, Amelia Cecil, Theodore Whitney, Fiona Whitney, Jack Burnett, Samuel Burnett, Evelyn Burnett, Mae Burnett, Eloise Burnett and Parker Schiele.
Baby Cecil and Baby Ward are due soon.
She was an incredibly loving mother, and the best mother-in-law her sons-in-law could ever ask for.
Her family will be forever grateful for her companion, Tanya. She grew to love Tanya as one of her own, and her life was enriched by the loving care and concern which Tanya showed toward her.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 21, in Restland Memorial Chapel. Services will take place at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 22, in Restland Memorial Chapel.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Ave., Dallas.
She suggested that donations in her memory may be made to the trust of her granddaughter Clara who was diagnosed with CDG 1-A, a rare medical condition.
