Willie Jame Coleman

     On Saturday, October 28, 1950 in Thomasville, Alabama I was the fifth child born to the late Robert and Cora Mae Oates-Coleman. We later moved to Camden in the Sawmill Quarters.

     I was educated in the Wilcox County School System. In my younger days Mr. Earl “BO” Shannon took me under his wings and taught me the ends and out to repairing  TV’s  as I grew older he turned the business over to me and I owned and operated Coleman TV repair  located in downtown Camden for over 30 years, working on floor model TVs with the big back and knobs that if one fell of, you had to use a pair of pliers to change channels or bring it to me to put a knew knob on. Don’t sit here like you’ll don’t remember them Magnavox and RCA they didn’t come with warranties like these smart and flat screen TV’s they got now.  I’m sure glad I retired when I did!

     After mama earthly departure Wednesday, March 17, 1991, I would go to her resting place 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily making sure that a leaf knew it was not welcomed.  Mr. Leo Taylor was the caretaker knowing who each grave space belonged to if even it was not marked seeing my faithful dedication of keeping mama resting place clean, he shared that same information with me. Leading up to me dedicating a portion of my life as the caretaker of McIntosh Cemetery for many years after his passing. You could find me at any given funeral to see where that person would be buried because I wanted to always help families keep them clean.

     Even after I put a RETIRED plate on the front of my truck I just couldn’t sit still, Mrs. Teaster Kelsaw gave me a job with Southeastern Management maintaining Country Squire and Windwood Apartments in Camden and The Meadows I & II in Union Town, Alabama.

      On Friday, December 6, 2019 at the age of (69) my journey here in Camden ended, on my new journey I have my parents, daughter, Betty Ann Morris, grandmothers, Maggie McNeil and Celie Hudson, brothers and their wives, Alexander (Alice) and Robert “Sonny” (Flora) Coleman Jr., nephew, Benjamin “Boo” Coleman Jr., aunts, uncles and friends: Joseph (Marie) Anderson,  Sam McCreary, Clarence “Sunnyman” Primm Sr., Book Reed, L.G. Marshall, and Main Hook waiting to welcome me home.

     Leaving behind to remember me will be my son;  Tommy (Jean) Morris,  I tried to give you all I could, keep watch over my grandchildren, Raquel Monique Edwards and Dashawn Raheem Edwards, all of Atlanta, GA; my loving and devoted baby sister; Mary Ann Coleman, Camden, AL; thank you for all those Saturday morning’s you would pull that ole hot comb through my hair making sure that afro was just right, making me pans of cornbread until you start acting like you had arthritis, and yeah I know you will miss me from using my keys to check on you without knocking, my big brothers, Edward (Luverne) Coleman, Mobile, AL; Cook you or officially now back in charge, Thomas Earl (Helen) Coleman, Cincinnati, OH; Tom I know you going to want them pecans so get Mary to send them,  and my baby brother, Benjamin Sr., (Helen) Coleman, Coy, AL;  Take care of Mary,  my uncles, Arthur Lee and Belton Dee McNeil, both in Selma, AL; a host of nieces two I raised and cared for as my own daughters, Angela (Archie) Demings, Greenville, AL; keep Jr safe and Alexis Shanta Coleman, Camden, AL; “Nuke” take care of my babies, nephews and friends Marie Charley and family, Coy, AL; Danny (Esther) Putman,  Earl “Miriam” Shannon, their son Mack, Issac Moody, Peter Allen, David Cannon, David Wilson, Otto Dallas  and Bo Dillie all of Camden, Alabama.

     To My family and friends you want find me at Piggly Wiggly anymore but I will meet you on the other shore.

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