Ernest Donald Coleman's Obituary
Ernest Donald Coleman of Memphis, TN passed away on March 16, 2023 at Baptist Memorial Hospital. He was born on August 18, 1929, in Pinson, TN to Ernest and Inez Coleman. The family later moved to Memphis and eventually had a farm ib Bartlett, TN. Donald attended school at Treadwell, Whitehaven and Bartlett.
After the family’s move to Bartlett, TN , he was a member of Bartlett Baptist Church. For the past 30 years , he was an active member of Greenlawn Baptist Church in Frayser.
Donald served in the US Army as a master Sargent in a communication unit during the Korean conflict. To earn extra money while in the Army, he learned to cut hair. He returned home and attended barber school. He first worked at Coleman’s Barber shop on Austin Peay. He later owned Coleman; s Hair Styling Shop on Coleman Ave. He and his wife Bettye raised their two children in Frayser. From his Frayser garden, Donald supplied family and neighbors with tomatoes and vegetables.
He was a member of the Memphis Sports Shooting Association where he participated in various shooting competitions. In retirement, his other favorite leisure activities including meeting friends for breakfast, driving the back roads of west Tennessee, having lunch at the Country Store in Shelby Forest and watching the river traffic on the Mississippi River. He also valued the time he pent fishing for trout near Norfolk Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents Ernest and Inez Coleman, his daughter, Any Denise Coleman, and his brother, George W. Coleman. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bettye J. Coleman, and his son Neal Gaylan Coleman. He is survived by his brothers, Billy Coleman, Rodney Coleman, and Jim Coleman (Joy). He is also survived by three nephews and one niece.
Services have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home. Visitation will be at 2:00 pm on Tuesday March 21st with a graveside service following at 3:00p,. Officiating at the service will be a Brother Vernon F. McCarty, Pastor of Greenlawn Baptist Church.
Memorials may be given to Greenlawn Baptist Church, The Church Health Center or the charity of the donor’s choice.
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