Mary Louise (Jackson) Coleman, age 96, passed away on Friday, February 5, 2016, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. She was born in Cuthbert, Georgia, but grew up in San Diego, and lived in Los Angeles for the remainder of her life.
During her young adult years, she was an avid ‘jitterbug dancer,’ and became the proprietor of the Royal Beauty Salon in San Diego at age 19.
She was married to Roland Lee Coleman, Sr. (1919-2003), for 65 years. That union resulted in the birth of four children. Mary participated in various garden clubs and international seed exchanges. She was a PTA participant, and Cub Scout den mother. Additionally, she helped coordinate the ‘children’s music program’ at USC during the 1960s, and worked with voter registration and elections.
In the 1990s, she became the registrar for “Women of Color As Warriors of Light,” an annual national retreat, where attendees benefitted from her smile and laughter, and her warm hugs of support and empowerment. She was ‘mother’ to all, regardless of locale, race, or religion.
Mary is survived by her four children and their spouses, Lawrence, Roland, Jr. (Evelyn), Carmen (Edward) Freeman, and Lorin (Kanan); as well as grandchildren, Eric (Agnes), Sean (Cynthia), Tina Coleman Johnson, Isis Freeman-Dirksen and Peter Dirksen, China (David) Helwig; Roland Coleman, III (R.J.); and Satya Coleman. She is also survived by several great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held on February 20, 2016, at 9:45 a.m., at Angelus Funeral Home, 3875 South Crenshaw Blvd., in Los Angeles, CA, 90008.