Donald Ashley Coleman

Don was born in Dodge County and was raised in Fitzgerald where he attended local schools. He was a United States Army Air Corps veteran of World War II and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Georgia Southern College and later received his Master’s Degree in Education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Don served for nine years as the first principal at Sallie Zetterower Elementary School. He went on to work at Georgia Southern University, from where he retired in 1985 as Director of Admissions and Registrar Emeritus.

Mr. Coleman was a member of the First Baptist Church of Statesboro, where he was a member of the Harmony Fellowship Bowen Sunday school class, served as a Trustee, served on the Board of Deacons, served as the Chairman of the Board Directors of the Creative Leaning Center and First Baptist Church Preschool and served as a teacher of the Fellowship Sunday school class. Don was Past President of the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals, Past President of the Georgia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, was a member of the Georgia Southern Foundation and Georgia Southern Boosters; Past President of the Statesboro Rotary Club, receiving the Paul Harris Fellow Award; Past President of the Lions Club; Past Vice-President of the Statesboro Jaycees and was the recipient of the Deen Day Smith Lifetime Achievement Award. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Joel Vernon Coleman and Annie Lee Witherington Coleman.

Mr. Coleman is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Jean Black Coleman of Statesboro; daughter, Sue Ann Lopez and her husband, John of Levelland, TX; son, Don Ashley Coleman and his wife, Denise, of Clyde, NC; brother, Robert Lee Coleman and his wife, Joyce of Tifton; four grandchildren, Stephen Lynn of Brownwood, TX; Brian Lynn of Louisville, KY; Matt Lynn of Alpine, TX and 1st Lt Beth Coleman, US Air Force of Goldsboro, NC; eight great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews also survive.

A gathering of family and friends will be held Thursday, June 2, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in Hodges-Moore Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be held 2:00 PM Friday, June 3, 2016 in First Baptist Church of Statesboro with Reverend Dr. H. William Perry and Reverend Dr. John Waters officiating. Mr. Coleman will lie in state from 1:00 PM until the funeral hour.

Burial will follow in Bulloch Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be Bruce Yawn, Frank Hook, Russ Lanier, Ray Durden, Si Waters, Bill Stubbs, Floy Thackston.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Harmony Fellowship Bowen Sunday school class.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Statesboro, Building Fund, 108 North Main Street, Statesboro, GA 30458 or Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, GA 30459.

Please visit our online memorial at www.hodgesmoore.com to sign the guest book and share fond memories with the Coleman family.

Hodges-Moore Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.