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Melvin L. Coleman, Sr., of Weirton, WV, dedicated teacher, and coach, died Wednesday, July 1, 2020, two days after suffering a heart attack. He was 77 years old.
Mel was born in Wheeling, WV, on September 18, 1942, to Norville Bush and Roseann Lewis. He was raised by his mother, Roseann, and his father, David Coleman, along with his brother and sister. In addition, he had another sister in Anniston, AL.
Mel graduated from Wheeling Central High School and attended Bluefield State College on a basketball scholarship; this is where he met the love of his life, Nora Hatcher. He eventually transferred to Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, FL, where he continued playing Basketball. Mel played semi-pro ball with the New York Astros and also had a pro football try out with the Dallas Cowboys. Mel eventually earned his Master's Degree plus 18 hours at West Virginia University.
He started his career in education that spanned over 50 years at Weirton Madonna High School as a science teacher and a football coach. The next year Mel was named Head Basketball Coach, one of four black coaches in the State of West Virginia. After leaving Madonna, he taught and coached football one year at Toronto High School before spending the next fourteen years at Wintersville High School, where he became the most winningest coach in school history and became OVAC Coach of the Year and named District 5 Coach of the Year for five consecutive years.
After Wintersville, Mel taught at Admiral King High School in Lorain, OH, before becoming the basketball coach at Norfolk State University for nine years. While at Norfolk State, he earned the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Runner-Up Coach of the Year. After a brief retirement, Mel continued as the head basketball coach at Maple Heights High School in Cleveland, OH, for three years before teaching at Capital High School in Charleston, WV. At the time of his passing, Mel was a substitute teacher in Brooke and Hancock Counties and was starting his third year of being the head basketball coach of the Brooke Bruins.
Mel also was involved with the Tri-State Sports Camp, Ohio State Basketball Camp, and the Five Star Basketball Camp, where he traveled to Turkey and France teaching Basketball with the top coaches in the world.
Mel then co-founded with Clyde DiAngelo, the Coleman-DiAngelo School of Basketball, which later became the Coleman School of Basketball, where he, his family, and dedicated staff including Paul T. Duffy and Mike Granato taught children from all over the Valley, the fundamental skills of Basketball, for thirty-five years.
Mel was inducted into the Weirton Madonna Hall of Fame, OVAC Hall of Fame, and was honored by Franciscan University Baron's Club.
A father of six children and eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild, Mel stressed education. Family vacations were many times to colleges or historic destinations, even though he did enjoy family times in the Outer Banks.
A member of the Knights of Columbus, Mel nourished his faith at Saint Paul's Roman Catholic Church on Sunday's where he volunteered his time with Lenten Fish Fries. He also went to weekday Mass at Saint Joseph the Worker Church and was active in This Man is You. He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
In addition to his parents, Mel was preceded in death by his sister, Dr. Helen Bush Caver, and his grandchild, Adrian.
He will be remembered with love by his wife of 57 years, Nora Hatcher Coleman, sons, Melvyn L. Coleman, Jr. (Lori) of Fairmont, WV, Patrick J. Coleman (Jody) of Harrisburg, PA, and Anthony N. Coleman (Alana) of Moon Township, PA; his three daughters, Melissa Coleman of Cross Lanes, WV, Kenyatta Coleman Grant (Derrick) of Charleston, WV and LaTasha R. Coleman of Barboursville, WV; his brother, David Coleman (Karen); his sister, Sharleen Meredith (Reed) his grandchildren, LaChelle Guinn, Mariah, Antuan, and Amiya Coleman, Madison and Micah Brotosky, Melvyn Elijiah Coleman, Savannah, Victor, and Kenleigh Grant; and one great-grandson, Carson Francis along with a host of nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters -in-law and his great aunt, Annie Wright. He touched so many lives and will also be missed and remembered by former players, students, and many friends.
Visitation will be Friday, July 10, 2020, 2-4 and 6-8 PM at the Weirton Madonna High School Gymnasium.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:00 PM Saturday, July 11, 2020, at Saint Paul's Roman Catholic Church.
Please meet at the church.
Facial masks and social distancing will be observed at the visitation and funeral.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS memorial contributions may be made to the Scholarship Fund of the Coleman School of Basketball C/O Huntington Bank 215 Three Springs Drive Weirton, WV 26062.
The Coleman Family will like to express their appreciation and gratitude to the Weirton Medical Center staff and Weirton Madonna High School for their kindness and support during this time.
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