Ira Coleman
August 11, 1920 — October 13, 2014
Ira Everette Coleman went to be with his Lord on Monday, Oct. 13, 2014.
He was born on Aug. 11, 1920, at the family home in the hills of Millard, Kentucky, to Abraham Lincoln and Anna Elizabeth Coleman.
On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1946, he married Montella Thomas.
In January 1941, he joined the 38th Infantry Division, Medical Regiment. When the war broke out he was stationed as a medic in the Philippines.
Ira was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church for over 60 years. Ira worked at Continental Can Company for 31 years, retiring and starting a new job with Aeroquip Corporation until he finally retired for good. He was a member of the American Legion Post 346 in Ohio City, Ohio. Ira loved his family, church and his Country.
Ira is survived by a son, Robert (Diane Mercer) Coleman; a daughter, Susan Welker; six grandchildren, Guy (Annie Brinkman) Coleman, Tania Canales, Heidi Hammond, Carol (Jay Jones) Canales, Holly (Chris) Huss, Kaitlin (Scott) Wilkins; five great-grandchildren, Bethany (Adam) Watkins, Nathaniel (Brittany Harruff) Kline, Nicholas Barrientos, Austin (Bailey) Hammond, Emilie Jones, and three great-great-granddaughters, Sylvia, Corrine and Nevaeh. He is also survived by a brother, Abraham (Irene) Coleman, Jr., and two sisters, Pauline Craig and Ellen Werts, and sisters-in-law, Hazel Coleman, Jean (Roscoe) Abbott, and Patricia Thatcher.
He was preceded in death by his wife Montella in 2007. Also, along with his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Cecil Coleman, and four sisters, Flora Polly, Mary Zinna and Zettie Eunice Coleman, and Hazel Faye Rofrits.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, 2014, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, Van Wert, Ohio, with the Rev. Josh Tissot officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery, Ohio City, where military graveside services will be conducted by the Ohio City American Legion.
Friends and family may call from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, and one hour prior to services Friday at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials may be directed to Wesley United Methodist Church.