Ronald Albert Coleman, born on June 29, 1946 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Cecil and Bernice Coleman, passed away on Thursday, July 25, 2019 at the age of 73 in Tucson, Arizona. He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Jan; his sons, Joel (Shelly) and Troy, his four grandchildren Gabriel, Clara, Graham, Owen and six of his seven siblings as well as many nieces and nephews. Ron, a Christian, was baptized at age 11. As an adult he served as a teacher, deacon and Elder of his church.
Ron, an engineer, held a B.S. in Physics, two Masters in Engineering and was proud of his technological contributions to the freedom and defense of his country. A lifelong botanist, he authored books on the native orchids of California, Arizona and New Mexico. His hobbies included poetry, the music of Frank Sinatra, the study of history, and travel.
In his own words, “I sat in the stands and watched Mickey Mantle play ball. Jan and I were in the audience when Frank Sinatra sang and we saw Barbra Streisand perform in the Hollywood Bowl. We walked through the Coliseum in Rome, hiked down the White Cliffs of Dover and rode in a boat across Lock Ness. We cried on the sands of the beaches in Normandy and stood in awe among the remains of the bridge at Remagen.”
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society.
