William Wyette Coleman
July 17, 1921 ~ April 8, 2005
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville ~ William Wyette Coleman, died Friday, April 8, 2005, at Mountain Area Hospice after a long courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Mr. Coleman was born July 17, 1921, in Kerrville, Texas to the late Norman and Georgia Lee Sandel Coleman and also was preceded in death by a son, Jeffrey B. Coleman.
He graduated from Baylor University in 1943 with a degree in business administration and while at Baylor was captain of the football team and was twice named All American. He spent four years in the U.S. Navy and saw service at Saipan, Kwajalein, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Iwo Jima in WW II. Mr. Coleman joined Owens-Illinois in 1947 at Waco, TX and served in a variety of positions there and at other company plants in Marion, IN, Atlanta, GA, Huntington, WV and New Orleans, LA.
In 1968, he became president of Owens-Illinois subsidiaries in Brazil. While in Brazil, he was president of the American Chamber of Commerce for Brazil, a director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Latin America, president of the U.S. Navy League and director of the United Fund for North Americans.
In 1974, Mr. Coleman was named by the President of Brazil as a recipient of the Medal, “Order of the Rio Branco”, one of the highest honors bestowed on a foreign citizen by the Brazilian government. The medal is given for special service by foreigners to Brazil, either toward the development of the Brazilian economy or improvement of relationships between Brazil and their country of origin.
Mr. Coleman was named Vice President of the International Division of Owens-Illinois in 1972 and was elected Corporate Vice-President of Owen-Illinois in 1974. His last assignment was General Manager of International Glass Container. He was a member of the Asheville Rotary Club and was also an avid golfer.
Surviving Mr. Coleman is his wife, Auwice Brewer Coleman; two daughters, Kelly Ann Coleman of Atlanta, GA and Drusilla C. McCarthy of Spirit Lake, Iowa; two sons, Steven Earl Coleman of Asheville and David J. Coleman of Olympia, WA. Mr. Coleman is also survived by four grandchildren and five great-granddaughters.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at Green Hills Cemetery with the Rev. Perry Brindley officiating.
The family will receive friends on Monday from 6:00-8:00 PM at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Mountain Area Hospice, PO Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813.
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Wice, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time of loss.
Adrienne and Fred
We wish we could be there with you. You all are in our thoughts and prayers. Everytime we look at our little William we will think of Daddy Coleman and smile.
We love you.
Peace,
Scott, Crystal and William
we are thinking of you and sharing your deepest grief mom c.we will keep daddy and all of you in our prayers.may god bless you.
Before the fun times we shared with you and Bill together, I had the pleasure of working with him at O-I. He seemed so serious at work so socially it was hard to learn to call him ‘Bill’ instead of Mr. Coleman — he was a pretty important guy!
Wice, we shared some fun times together with you and Bill in N.C. and Tn. – our golf outings, train & dollhouse shopping, great food, and we even rode horses! I have a lot of good pictures to remember those healthier times and I’m glad I can remember Bill that way. He had a great sense of humor.
Wice, you were so devoted to him and took such good care of him. God Bless You.
Big hugs, Judy
Dear Wice and family,
Jeanette and I are very sorry to learn of Bill’s death, and also the death of your mother earlier this week. We pray that their souls are with the Lord in heaven, and we pray that your family will be strong and comforted in your grief.
Sincerely,
Jeanette and Dave Maxwell
Dear Wice and family,
Jeanette and I are very sorry to learn of Bill’s death, and also the death of your mother earlier this week. We pray that their souls are with the Lord in heaven, and we pray that your family will be strong and comforted in your grief.
Sincerely,
Jeanette and Dave Maxwell
Dear Wice and family,
Jeanette and I are very sorry to learn of Bill’s death, and also the death of your mother earlier this week. We pray that their souls are with the Lord in heaven, and we pray that your family will be strong and comforted in your grief.
Sincerely,
Jeanette and Dave Maxwell
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Dear Wice and family, I was so saddened to talk with Kelly yesterday and learn that Bill had lost his long, brave battle. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. I, too, am mourning the passing of Aunt Gertie. She, Uncle Earl and all my cousins make up my best memories of a wonderful childhood. I’ll never forget Aunt Gertie’s hamburgers. They were the best.
I look forward to an opportunity to see each of you personally who make the trip to Texas later.
Please accept my deepest and most profound sympathy.
Love, Dob
Dear Wice and family,
Thinking of you and praying God will send you peace during this difficult time.
Love,
Ola Jean Moore Craft
Larry and Grace Kling and family, and Dale Kling
There were two men in my life who were my idols and mentors: One was my Dad, and the other was Bill.
I looked up to and admired them both. I learned from them and respected them greatly (even though I harrassed them at times on the golf courses).
Bill, I will always remember the good times we had, both at work, and at play. We can’t do those things anymore, but I will never forget them, or YOU.
Your friend, Larry
Señora Coleman: Pls, recieved my dipest condolenses. Bill will be forever in our family and my soul after so many years working in the International. Fausto
Linda and I are very sorry to learn of Bill’s death. He was a friend, motivator, and inspiration to many of us. We share in your grief and offer our condolences to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Linda & Denny Brown
Our prayers are with you and your children. Hope to see you soon.
Love,
Charles and Betty
Ms. Coleman, We always enjoyed seeing you both at the Laurels. We hope all your memories of Mr. Coleman will be happy ones. You have been so thoughtful to my father and mother, which we appreciate so much! We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Love, Avi, Morgan and Juanita Sommerville
Mom and I are thinking of you.
Dear Wice and family,
Knowing Bill was one of the most important things that happened in my life. I will remember him forever, I owe him so much in life and he allowed me to become a better man for my family and for the company. Don’t know how to repay him other than praying. My prayers are for him, Wice & family.
mrs.coleman&family,
i had the honor of caring for mr.coleman during his later years.it was very rewarding to have that kind of contact with your family.my thoughts&prayers are with each of you.
sincerly,
lissa mcglamery,LPN
Dear Wice, My memories of Bill are many and varied. I remember him helping me ‘work’ a roomful of South American business visitors so I would seem like a very knowledgable hostess. I remember what a friend he was to our children remembering all their interests and activities. I’ll never forget the putting lesson he gave me before a Toledo Country Club tournament. Most of all I won’t forget what a joy it was to be with him. All of the Colemans are in our thoughts and prayers. Fondly, Sarah
Dear Wice, Very saddened to learn of Bill’s passing, but believe he is happier now that his physical ordeal is finally over. My memories of Bill are too vast to capture in a small space but they are all good. On the business side I could always count on him to manage our South American operations with great knowledge and skill. His ability to handle people of various nationalities was truly unexcelled. More importantly I considered him a friend and someone I could always count on to do the right thing. He was truly a unique person. Sarah and I often talk about the many fun times we had with the two of you while traveling internationally and entertaining business associates in Toledo. The memories are many and lasting. Our prayers are with you, Bill and your family. Bill Spengler
Kelly,
I was sadden to hear about the death of your beloved father. Over the years, you have talked so much of the love and appreciation you had for him and I know he must have been very proud to have you as his daughter.
May the good and healthy memories come back to you and fill you heart with happiest in the very near future.
Love,
Pat
We are sorry for the loss of your loved one. Much love and sympathy for Kelly Coleman and her entire family.
Kelly,
Your Atlanta family is circling the wagons trying to figure out how best to express our sorrow at the loss of your Dad and how best to express our love for you. We send our collective prayers to you and your family. Know that when you leave the loving arms that hold you in Asheville, our arms will be waiting, open wide, for you here.
Love,
Lynn-Margaret & K. Lynn
Wice and family. Bill,s many friends sharee you grief. He was great to work for,backed me up when it was needed,let me know when I was wrong and was always a gentleman. Janice’s and my thoughts are with you.
Mrs. Coleman, Please know that my thoughts and prayers have been with you and will continue to be. I will ask you the next time I see you at Margaret’s Hallmark if I may give you a hug. Dorothy <+><
Dear Wice:
We were sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. He was a good friend, both in and out of our business world. I enjoyed working with Bill on our many projects over the years, especially those real estate projects (as he would call them) which required a visit to the golf course.
Bill was a kind and considerate gentleman and a businessman of skill and integrity. We will miss him.
Our prayers are with you and Bill.
Howard and Jane Bruss
Our condolences to the family. Jim and Jeanne Benjamin
I met him after his Parkinson’s had taken over, but I could tell by his actions he was a very sweet and humorous man. He was adored by his wife, Wice and his daughter, Kelly, and I’m sure the rest of his family. I’m glad I had the honor of spending time with him.
With Love, Deanna Newman-Atlanta