COLEMAN, Harold

COLEMAN, Harold Leon

04/29/1932 - 11/01/2022

Age 90, of Washington Township, and Kettering, OH, passed away peacefully Tuesday, November 1, 2022. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Carmel Maria, his son-in-law Harvey Gase, his beloved aunt and uncle, Christina and Albert Lowe, and great-aunt and uncle, Ida May and Reuben Coleman.

He is survived by his children, daughter Monica (Coleman) Gase, daughter Carol (Coleman) Gerlach and son-in-law Darrell, son John Coleman and daughter-in-law Sandy, grandchildren Brian Coleman and wife Erica, Scott Coleman and wife Taylor, Hugo Bourinbayar, and step-granddaughter Paige Gerlach. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren Lance, Felicity, Connor, Adam, Jackson, and step-great-granddaughter Kobe, as well as a host of cherished nieces and nephews in Australia, Carmel's birthplace.

Harold was born April 29, 1932, in Humphrey, Arkansas, and was raised in Sikeston, MO. After serving in the Korean War with the US Army, receiving a Purple Heart for combat injuries, he returned to the US and was the first in his family to graduate from college, with a BS in Chemistry from the University of Texas. In 1954, he met and married his beloved Carmel Fleming. Moving to the Dayton area in 1959, Harold began a career at Mound Laboratory in Miamisburg, and Monsanto Research Laboratory in Dayton, working with radioactive materials for industrial and medical use. Harold received a patent in 1973 for his work. Harold worked on Department of Defense projects in the 1960s at Mound, but moved to Monsanto when he realized he wanted to utilize nuclear power for peaceful purposes rather than weapons. Harold retired in 1994 from EG&G, specializing in the highly technical process of packaging nuclear materials such as plutonium.

Harold was a true Renaissance man, being gifted with a beautiful singing voice, outstanding artistic talent in oil painting and fine woodworking, and an enduring love of science and technology. Oh, and fishing. Most importantly, though, he will be remembered by his children and grandchildren as a warm and loving dad and grandpa, a rock of stability, security, and sage wisdom for his family. He was an ever faithful, honorable and ethical man in all his interactions with others, and his warmth and hugs will be deeply missed by all.

A Celebration Of Life will be held at the VFW Post 9927, 3316 Wilmington Pike in Kettering, on November 23rd from 4:30-7:30 PM, with an Honor Guard commemorating his military service at 5:30 PM. Private inurnment will take place on Friday, November 25 at David's Cemetery in Kettering. His family is confident Harold had a glorious reunion with his one and only love, Carmel, and they both rest peacefully together for eternity.

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