Joanne Batten Coleman

Joanne Farless Batten Coleman passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 20, 2019. She was born in Suffolk, Virginia on October 11, 1934, to John Livingston and Josie Harrell Farless. She was raised in Suffolk, but had family roots in North Carolina and spent many glorious days with her grandparents during her childhood there, later sharing those stories with her girls and keeping her memories cherished to be passed on to their children. Joanne attended Suffolk High School and Longwood College, where she graduated with a B.S. degree in elementary education. Her first teaching position was at Chuckatuck Elementary School and was a forever remembered year that gave her everlasting friendships and memories. It was during this time that she was introduced to the love of her life, Bert Batten. After hearing friends tell her stories of his football days at Smithfield High School and Wofford College, they were introduced on a blind date where it was love at first sight for both of them. They were married on February 16, 1957 and they made their home in Smithfield. They established lifelong friendships and had a marriage that was truly meant to be. They were blessed with two daughters, Andrea Leigh and Rebecca Elizabeth. Joanne was an active member of Smithfield Baptist Church and her Smithfield community and was a charter member of a bridge club. She and Bert set excellent Christian examples for their girls to serve their church and their community.

Joanne was predeceased in death after only 25 short years of marriage to Bert when he died of cancer at the age of 49. Nine years later, she moved to Williamsburg where she met and married John Sheldon Coleman. She and John established their home of 19 years in Fords Colony, playing golf, traveling and making new memories. They moved to Verena at the Reserve after John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and where Joanne continued to reside after John’s death in 2017.

Joanne was still active in her charter bridge club in Smithfield and met monthly with her childhood Suffolk girlfriends for lunch. She was always a good friend who was thoughtful, caring and compassionate. She played bridge, pool, and took mini excursions with her friends at Verena. One of her most enjoyable interests was the opera and attending it with her friends. She looked forward to visiting her grandchildren in Florida and Washington, her daughters in Richmond and North Carolina, and taking mini excursions with her children. One of her greatest feats was zip lining at 83 years old at The Homestead in Hot Springs and setting the record as their oldest participant. Her most recent excitement was that she soon would be a great-grandmother again. She was so proud of and so loved her family.

Our mother, and “Momma”, as her grandchildren called her, will be forever in our hearts as we remember our lives with her as a family. She is survived by her daughters, Andrea Leigh Campbell (and husband Bob) of New Bern, North Carolina and Rebecca Elizabeth Rosenberger (and husband Bill) of Richmond; three grandchildren, Morgan Batten Miller of Washington, DC, David Bertrand Koehler (and Kelsey) of Neptune Beach, FL and Elizabeth Leigh Koehler of St. Petersburg, FL; one brother, Jerry Livingston Farless (and Dianne) of the Outer Banks, NC.

A remembrance gathering will be held at Verena at the Reserve in Williamsburg on Saturday, April 27 at 3:00. Memorial donations may be made to the Hospice House, 4445 Powhatan Parkway, Williamsburg, 23188 (www.williamsburghospice.org). Online condolences may be shared at www.nelsenwilliamsburg.com.