Eleanor Mae (Elly) Coleman

Eleanor Mae (Elly) Coleman, 79, was called to Heaven on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Surrounded by loving family, she passed peacefully at Mercy-Hospice Johnston.

Elly was born in Ames, Iowa on July 24, 1936 to Commodore and Lucille (Rutter) Litchfield. She graduated from Ames High School then moved to Des Moines where she enrolled in the Lutheran School of Nursing.

She soon met the love of her life, Ronald Coleman, and they married on January 12, 1957. She continued her studies but ultimately decided to stay home and raise their five children. She eventually went on to be a large part of her grandchildren's upbringing as well. She was a natural caretaker and made others feel appreciated, special, and loved. Family describes Elly as the matriarch of the family, full of life, outspoken, loyal, with a penchant for bold colors and a willingness to help those in need. She is fondly remembered for her insatiable quests for bargains; frequently scouring garage sales and thrift stores for good finds. A favorite pastime of Elly's was reading. She enjoyed different types of novels but was particularly partial to the romance genre. Elly valued pictures and always requested that family bring updated portraits so she could display them throughout her home. She loved snapping her own photos too especially those awkward caught-off-guard moments, much to the dismay of her family. What gave Elly the most pleasure was socializing with family and friends. You could count on Elly to call on your birthday or to invite you to a holiday gathering that she insisted on hosting at her home. When the weather was nice, Elly enjoyed having events on her backyard patio where she could watch the kids play basketball and jump on the big trampoline. No conversation was off-limits to Elly. She was a wonderful listener, the kind of person you could tell anything to without fear of judgment; although she definitely was not shy about adding her two cents in to the discussion. She had a feisty spirit. She was a beloved wife, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Elly will be sorely missed but we shall treasure all the memories she left us.

Eleanor is survived by her husband of 59 years, Ronald; children, Sharon Coleman, Daniel Coleman, Sandra (Robert) VanBlair, David Coleman, Sabrina (Jeffrey) Davis; siblings, Tunney (Peggy) Litchfield, George (Shirley) Litchfield, Jack Litchfield; 9 grandchildren and 10+ great-grandchildren.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, Betty Corbin, Fred Litchfield, Lucille Keaton, Kathy Litchfield, Tiny Gail Litchfield, Eveline Copenhaven, Donald Litchfield, Bobby Allen, and grand-daughter, Jennifer.

A celebration of life memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 18th at Windsor Presbyterian Church, located at 6301 University Ave, Windsor Heights, IA 50324 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Refreshments provided following service.


Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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