Mary Coleman

Mary Ann Coleman, age 80 years of Niles, Michigan died at 12:35 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2014 at her home following a brief illness.

She was born on September 30, 1933 in Three Rivers, Michigan to Homer McKinley and Martha (Adrian) Frame. She attended Three Rivers schools, was graduated from Niles High School, and has lived here the rest of her life. She was employed for more than 25 years at Niles Community Schools.

Mary was a former member of Saint Mark Catholic Church since its founding, and formerly had been active in its Christian Mothers. More recently, she has attended Mass with her caregivers at Christ The King Catholic Church in South Bend, Indiana. She enjoyed daily reading of the Bible and a prayer book, and also enjoyed reading fiction. She had travelled throughout the United States, but mostly enjoyed Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and a cabin at Mecosta, Michigan. She also enjoyed exercising, bicycling, and weeding the lawn and garden.

On October 10, 1953 in Niles she married Arthur Paul “Shorty” Coleman with whom she celebrated the forty-first anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on October 26, 1994. They were also preceded in death by a son, Peter Lee Coleman on November 4, 2011, and by Mary’s sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Langendonk Kyle on January 17, 2014.

Surviving family includes five children, Joe Coleman of Niles, Jack (& Mary) Coleman of Niles, Christine Knoblauch of Rochester, Michigan, Bill (& Cindy) Coleman of Niles, and Carol Coleman of Rochester Hills, Michigan; grandchildren, Katie Knoblauch, Annie Knoblauch, Shelby Coleman, Cassie Coleman, Arthur (& Malia) Coleman, Matthew Donlin, and Stephanie Donlin; twin great-grandchildren Carter and Conner; and Mary’s brother, Robert (& Pat) Frame of Niles, and several nieces and nephews.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Coleman will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at Christ The King Catholic Church in South Bend by The Rev. Fr. Michael Belinsky, C.S.C. of the church. Committal Rites will be later, privately, at Calvary Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Contributions in memory of Mary may be made to Christ The King Catholic Church.