Mother Josephine Coleman

COLEMAN, Mother Josephine - Age 98, passed away Monday, February 24, 2020 at Ascension-Genesys Hospital. Family hour 10:00 AM Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at United Outreach Ministries, 1249 Roosevelt Ave., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM. Pastor Lamarcus Keels, officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:00 AM Tuesday. Mother Coleman will lie in state in the chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Monday. Gladise Josephine Coleman, lovingly referred to as "Mother Coleman" to all who knew and loved her, gained her heavenly wings on February 24, 2020 at the rich age of 98. God saw that this earth would require a strong, loving, caring and faithful servant, so this precious angel was born December 31, 1921 in Carson Lake, Arkansas to the late Mr. & Mrs. Larn and Clyde Palmer. Mother Coleman was raised with so much love & joy and taught to always love and trust God in all things. After the loss of her mother, at the young age of 16, she moved to Turrell, Arkansas and lived with father until one day, a strong, handsome, loving and faithful young man by the name of Willie Lee Coleman swept her off her feet. They were a powerful couple. While her husband would go off to work, Mother Coleman devoted her time to being a faithful servant to the Lord, a loving wife and mother to their eight children. Mother Coleman was a virtuous woman. Mother Coleman was a praying woman. Her faith in God and her fervent prayers carried her family throughout eight decades of God's favor on her life and they have not expired for we continue to see God's hand move over her family as a result of those prayers. Willie Coleman Sr and Mother Coleman saw greater growth opportunities for their family in another city not far away and moved their family to Blytheville, Arkansas. Mother Coleman became a member of Nehemiah Temple Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) under the stewardship of Elder John Moore. Mother Coleman was dedicated to serving and working for the Lord. She served on many auxiliaries, Usher Board, YWCC, YPWW, and the Hospitality Committee just to name a few. She would spearhead fundraising events in support of her church and her surrounding community. Mother Coleman was an amazing cook and loved baking. She was a true entrepreneur. She would bake goods and sell them for the church, she was also a Shaklee Products Agent, and sanitized homes, all while ensuring her family was happy, healthy and filled with love & joy. As time went on, Mother Coleman and her husband welcomed eight more children to their family. Bringing their total to sixteen wonderful children. After nearly 28 beautiful years of marriage, Mother Coleman suffered the loss of her husband in May of 1968. She continued to raise, support, and love her family. After the loss of her daughter, Willie Mae Coleman in 1982, she moved to Flint, Michigan. Mother Coleman became an ordained Mother in Flint, Michigan and served in her calling at Friendship Azusa Church Of God In Christ (COGIC). She served faithfully under the stewardship of the late Superintendent Birdie L. Shields and Missionary Naomi J. Shields. Mother Coleman never skipped a beat, she continued her entrepreneurship in selling baked goods and expanded her business by adding other delightful treats to support her church. Mother Coleman was the matriarch of her family who loved with agape love. She loved her family and she taught her family to love God, love one another and most importantly to always pray and keep God first in all you say or do. From her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and all who knew her, Mother Coleman never ceased to show love. A couple of her favorite pet names for all she met and loved were "Cutie Cutie" and "Lil Stanka". Mother Coleman loved greatly and this love would sometimes present itself in the form of correction. If she heard you speaking an untruth, she would politely sing her phrase "Lil Liar". Mother Coleman is survived by: children, Ethel (James) Robinson of Moundsville, Alabama; Dorothy Dorsett, Eddie (Helen) Coleman, Velma Mizell, Clyde Coleman, Bonita Tellis, Terri (Don) Lewis, all of Flint, Willie (Valerie) Coleman Jr., Sandra (Cecil) Mitchell of Blytheville, AR; Brenda (Anthony) McClain of Gosnell, AR; Ronald (Beverly) Coleman of Greensboro, NC; 52 grandchildren, 120+ great-grandchildren, a host of great-great-grandchildren; one niece and one nephew; cousin, Ms. Helen Mitchell “Mama Helen”; a host of other relatives and close friends including special friends, Sister Martha (Joshua) Shields, Missionary Barbara Griffin, Sister Iva Williams and family. Mother Coleman was preceded in death by her loving husband, Willie Lee Coleman Sr; her father, Larn Palmer and mother, Clyde Palmer; sister, Eleanor McIntosh; aunt, Ethel Ward; father-in-law, James Coleman; daughters, Willie Mae Coleman, Rosetta Rumph and Deborah D. Coleman; sons, Joseph L. Coleman and Richard J. Coleman, and son-in-law, Roosevelt Mizell.

Mother Josephine Coleman

December 31, 1921 - February 24, 2020