Daniel C. J. Coleman

Daniel Carey Joseph Coleman, 91, of Charleston, SC, passed away on Tuesday, August 25, 2015. He was born on Thursday, June 26, 1924 in Charleston, SC to the late Lottie Smith Coleman and the late Daniel W Coleman. Mr. Coleman was educated in the parochial schools, Murray Vocational High School and Porter Military Academy in Charleston. Prior to entering the military service, he was employed at the Charleston Shipbuilding and Dry-dock Company in the engineering department as a draftsman. He served in the Sumter Guards Home Guards in 1942, volunteered for the Paratroops in March of 1943, and earned his jump wings at Fort Benning Jump School in July of that year. Mr. Coleman served in five Major Campaigns in Italy, France, Belgium and Germany during WWII, with the famous 517th “Battling Buzzards” Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team, which was awarded the following: Executive Order 9396 Presidential Unit Citation Streamer Embroidered SOY-HOTTEN; Decree 6185 for the Ardennes Battle (Battle of the Bulge); with the Seventh Armored Charles, Prince of Belgium, Regent of the Kingdom; Decree1329, operating with the 18th Airborne Corps, Ardennes; Charles, Prince of Belgium Regent of the Kingdom. Second Award. Decree 7253, awarded under French Division 247. FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE Silver-Gilt Star with Streamer Embroidered Draguignan for the Parachute Invasion of Southern France on August 15, 1944. He attained the rank of First Sergeant, and was awarded the following: Combat Infantry Badge, Five Major campaigns; Purple Heart with Cluster, two wounds received in action; Bronze Star Medal, for exemplary conduct and ground combat against an armed enemy in the European Theatre; Mediterranean Theatre Ribbon with Five Stars and Bronze Arrowhead for the following major campaigns: ROME-ARNO, Parachute Invasion of Southern France, Central Europe, Ardennes and Rhineland Campaigns; awarded a citation for Personal Meritorious Achievement for action during the “Battle of the Bulge”, by Major General E. G. Chapman 13th Airborne Division, Commanding. A plaque to the honor of Daniel C. J. Coleman and the 517th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team is attached to the military room cabinet display in Stevens County Historical Society Museum in Toccoa, GA, where Mr. Coleman was given a lifetime membership. He was past President of the Charleston Chapter of the International Management Council, served with the United Way from 1974 to 1975, and was on the YMCA board in 1978. Mr. Coleman also served on various committees of the Southern Newspaper Publisher’s Mechanical Conferences and as chairman for the Mechanical Conference in 1974. Mr. Coleman was star running back for the old Charleston High Bantams and Porter Military Academy, Co-Captain of the 1941 lower state team for the Jaycee All Star game held in Columbia, King of the Charleston Playground Roller Skating Carnival in 1939, and winner of the 1939 Washington Birthday Two-Mile Cross-Country Race. He also participated in the Turkey Day Races along Murray Boulevard, representing Murray Vocational School, and was a small fry football and track coach and a high school football official. He was 45 years in the printing trades, with the first six being in the commercial printing trade, and retired from the Post and Courier after 39 years with the title of Production Manager Press-Processing. Besides his parents, Mr. Coleman was preceded in death by his loving wife, Betty Parker Coleman, his son, David Brian Coleman; two brothers: Henry Coleman and Bill Coleman and one sister, Charlotte Davey. He is survived by three sons: Daniel C. Coleman, Jr. and his wife, Kay, of North Charleston, SC; D. Kevin Coleman and his wife, Marie, of Charleston, SC and Martin P. Coleman and his wife, Shirley, of Kyle, TX; four daughters: Peggy Lawton of Charleston, SC; Mary Kauser and her husband, Janson, of Goose Creek, SC; Patricia Queen and her husband, Terry, of Gaffney, SC and Kathleen Smith and her husband, Tom, of Taunton, MA; 15 grandchildren: Daniel C. Coleman, III; Mary Catherine Cox; Thomas Joseph Lawton, III; James Christopher Lawton; Jenna Gibson; Michael Balducci; Danielle Coleman; Austin Coleman; Nicholas Coleman; Robert Coleman; Parker Coleman; Drayton Queen; Dr. Cecilia Smith; Caroline Smith; Thomas Smith, III and Patrick Smith; eight great-grandchildren and his brother, Francis X. Coleman. The family will receive friends on Friday, August 28, 2015, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home West Ashley Chapel. A funeral service will be held at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home West Ashley Chapel on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at 11:00 AM with Pastor Dick Broomall officiating. Burial will follow in the Holy Cross Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at www.mcalister-smith.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to McALISTER-SMITH FUNERAL HOME WEST ASHLEY CHAPEL, 2501 Bees Ferry Road, Charleston, SC 29414, 843-722-8371.

Visitation:
Friday, August 28, 2015

Service:
Saturday, August 29, 2015