Obituary: Hillary ‘Petey’ Coleman Sr., 81, Springfield
Hillary “Petey” Coleman Sr., 81, of Keene Lane, Springfield, died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, at his home. He was born to Mae Alice and Willie Coleman on Dec. 25, 1940, in Springfield. He was an employee of Fosters Kelly Lumber Company for 20 years and also worked as a farmer, which was his true passion, raising Tennessee Walker horses, hogs, chickens, and rabbits. He was united in marriage to Mary Jo Keene on May 28, 1960, and together they had and raised 11 children. He was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on June 18, 2005, and attended the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Lebanon.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Florence Anna Rose Coleman Trigg, Mary Hazel Nichols, and Martha Lou “Honeybunch” Montgomery; seven brothers, Samuel Joseph “Sammy Joe” Coleman, William “Billy” Coleman, George Richard “Blackie” Coleman, James Henry “Jack” Coleman, Thomas Allen “Tootie” Coleman, Bob Young and John Young; one son-in-law, Rick Haydon; and most recently, his wife of 60 years, Mary Jo Coleman (Sept. 22, 2020).
He is survived by five daughters, Mary Elizabeth Wright, Valerie Lynn Key (Steven), Frances Eileen Haydon and Deborah Kay Coleman, all of Springfield, and Alysia Jeanette Gray (Dewayne) of Indianapolis; six sons, James Hillary Coleman (Libby), Gregory Allen Coleman (Linda), Willie Gene Coleman (Shanna), Gary Lee Coleman (Rochelle) and Nicholas Bertram Coleman (Shawna), all of Springfield; and Ronald Wayne Coleman (Pamela) of Elizabethtown; 18 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, with a 1 p.m. memorial talk. Burial will be private in the Coleman Family Cemetery. There will be no public bereavement meal.
Face masks will be required at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be his six sons, Hillary, Gregory, Ronald, Willie, Gary and Nicholas.
Honorary pallbearers will be Steven Key, Malachi Wright, Ethan Coleman, Dewayne Gray, and Charles Coleman.
Hale-Polin-Robinson Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.
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