Obituary of Gerald Arthur Coleman

Gerald Arthur Coleman

August 23, 1928 – December 15, 2022

Corner Brook, NL

Our kind, loving, humourous and charitable Father, Gerald Coleman, has been reunited with our Mother and is at peace once again.

Gerald has long been a familiar face in Corner Brook as a partner in Coleman Group of Companies.

He was born in Glace Bay Nova Scotia to proud Newfoundlanders Maggie and Arthur Coleman. The family moved home when Gerald was six and he, his five brothers and only sister finished school there. He attended St. FX University and then enthusiastically joined the family business.

In 1950 he married the love of his life, Mercedes St. John, and together they raised their children in Corner Brook.

Family was his greatest passion in life and he created a wonderful home where the door was always open and everyone was welcome around the table on Brookfield Ave or out at George’s Lake. He instilled a great love of family, the outdoors and nature in all of us. He was available to everyone for love, laughs, great advice, his time and support.

Gerald kept busy and was interested in everything around him. Besides being committed to his work, he enjoyed golfing, downhill skiing and was a passionate gardener and great bridge player. He also enjoyed music and reading every evening by the fire. While his taste in music sometimes differed from ours, he fostered a love of music in his children and grandchildren, two of which have gone on to make careers in music.

He and Mercedes travelled together and with friends, and were fortunate to visit a number of different countries. However, Dad’s favorite place to travel was his home of Newfoundland and Labrador. He spent many a happy summer fishing in Labrador and the highlight of Fall was his annual pilgrimage to the Gaff Topsails, with the Bugdens and Duke, for bird hunting and eating forbidden foods. He fostered a love of most of those pursuits in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

With all that he still found time to be an active board member of CFIG- a national grocery federation and in 2000 was awarded a life membership for his many contributions.

Predeceased by his wife Mercedes, daughter Maureen, parents Maggie and Arthur Coleman, in-laws Michael and Johanna St. John, and his five brothers Edward, Eugene, Harold, John and Joe.

Leaving to mourn his daughter Joanne (Kelly), sons Michael (Dorothy) Jim (Paulette), grandchildren Amy (Jeff), Andrew (Shelley), Matthew (Melanie), Patrick (Dannelle), Gerald and Will. Great grandchildren Keagan, Michael, Andrew, Ethan, Conor, Sophia, Mya, Jesse and Makayla, great-great grandson Kingsley, sister Helen, sisters-in-law Lorraine and Annie and many nieces and nephews.

Our thanks go out to Dr. Bob O Driscoll, special caregivers Sandy and Loretta and the staff of the Corner Brook and Western Long Term Care for their exceptional care of Dad.

In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Corner Brook Food Bank or the Salvation Army. Dad always believed in giving, especially at this time of year.

Friends may visit Fillatre’s Funeral Home, 4 St. Mark’s Avenue on Tuesday, December 20 from the hours of 3-5 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial for family, Coleman team members and friends will be held on Wednesday, December 21 at 1:00 p.m. from All Hallows Parish, Humber Road with Father Lee Lainey and Father Edward Terry officiating. Family are requesting all visitors please wear a mask for the visitation and funeral mass. A private family interment will be held at a later date.

The Funeral Mass can be viewed live through the following link

https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=62b272c0-c7f3-4c0b-8462-ed3e6b319033