Barbara Coleman Obituary

Barbara Ann Nash Coleman was born in 1932 to Harvey Morgan Nash and Daisy Murray Nash. She married James H. Coleman, a veteran of WWII in 1947. "Jimmy" passed away in 1949 from hemophilia and, at the age of 18, Barb was a widow; uneducated and with no visible means of support. She mourned Jimmy's death for about a year then realized education was necessary to forge a meaningful career to build a new life and studied at Atlanta University and Spelman College. She earned a BS and MS in library science and dared the world to reject her for the next sixty years. She worked for the USAF as base librarian at several installations and finished her career at Peterson AFB.

Throughout her life, Barbara taught Catechism classes for her church, led a Girl Scout troop, belonged to many civic organizations and supported civil rights causes in Washington and California while living there. She was most proud of the innovative programs addressing ethnicity she launched at the library at Hamilton Field, CO. With support from management, she started a series of festivals involving eighteen ethnic groups. The black troops particularly took pride in the new image as they became users and movers at their base library. Their participation in the library program warranted national television coverage in 1971.

Barbara is survived by her brother Harvey Nash, Sr. (Faye) and his children; Harvey Nash Jr., Sophia H Mitchell, Joel

Mass will be celebrated Friday, May 19, 10:00 at Holy Apostles Church. Inurnment will be at 11:30 at Memorial Gardens Cemetery with a reception following at Holy Apostles Church.