Obituary

Newton Kansan
Posted May 06, 2009



Jean Wilfred Coleman, 92, passed away Tuesday (May 5, 2009) at Kansas Christian Home in Newton, where he had been a patient for a few weeks.

Jean was born on Jan. 9, 1917, in Atchison to John Walker Coleman and Emma Grace Ballinger. Jay Dwight Adams was his stepfather.

He had two brothers, John Ballinger Coleman, a physician who lives in Minneapolis, and James Henry Coleman, a publisher who lives in Sydney, Australia.

On Dec. 22, 1940, Mr. Coleman married Mary Virginia Stauffer, pianist, vocal arranger, teacher and choir director. They had two children, Jon Walker Coleman of Noblesville, Ind., and Gini Coleman Johnson of Wichita.

Jean leaves behind his son and daughter; daughter-in-law, Linda Tavolacci Coleman; son-in-law, Delbert Johnson; three grandchildren, Amanda Holland Johnson of San Francisco, Eliza Susannah Rausch of Newton, and Matthew Jay Coleman of Noblesville, Ind. He also leaves three great-grandchildren, Connell and Brennen Rausch of Newton, and Emma Bradley of San Francisco.

Jean attended Atchison public schools and earned his bachelor of arts degree in business administration and accounting from The University of Kansas in 1940.

Mr. Coleman held various positions during his several working careers: personnel and production control at Beech Aircraft, estimator at M.R. Stauffer General Contracting, manager of Lehman Hardware, and administrator of Bethel Clinic in Newton.

After retiring from Bethel Clinic, Jean continued to work as the creator of Family Health Plan, a pioneering HMO; real estate broker; executive director of the Harvey County Builders Association; and executive officer of the Newton Area Board of Realtors.

Personal interests, activities and accomplishments include: baritone singer with Keynoters Quartet, which toured nationally for 25 years; choir member of First Presbyterian Church for 45 years; deacon and elder for First Presbyterian Church; president of the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce; and president of the Kansas Association of Medical Group Administrators.

He had life memberships in the Medical Group Management Association, American College of Medical Group Administrators, Kansas Medical Group Management Association, Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, Harvey County Builders Association and Newton Elks Lodge No. 706.

He helped establish the Mexican Independence Day Fiesta in Newton, was co-producer of 1976 bi-centennial celebration and was a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harvey County.

Jean was a husband, father, gardener, musician, private pilot, landowner, developer and visionary. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Book signing will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Thursday at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Newton.

Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Newton.

Memorials may be made to the Virginia Coleman Music Scholarship Memorial Fund in care of Broadway Colonial Funeral Home.

Friends also may sign the book online at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.