Bill Coleman

Billy (Bill) Ray Coleman, 78, of Troutman, lost his courageous 5 ½ year battle against prostate cancer on Monday, March 11, 2013 at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Huntersville, NC surrounded by family and friends.

He was born May 28, 1934 in Concord, NC. He was the son of the late William Luther Coleman and Cora Springer Coleman.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of almost 28 years, Joyce. He was preceded in death by seven sisters, Virginia Beaver, Margie Coley, Ruth Austin, Willie Maxwell, Mary Smith, Faye Tucker and Mae Blackwelder.

He is survived by four siblings, James (Pete) Luther Coleman and his wife, Shirley, of Concord, NC, Martha Earnhardt of Kannapolis, NC, Bob Coleman and his wife, Sylvia, of Mt. Pleasant, NC, and WL (Dub) Coleman and his wife, Lorraine, of Concord, NC. He is also survived by one son, Stanley S. Smeltzer and his wife, Melinda, of Smithfield, VA; five daughters, Lynne Childers and her husband, David, of Mt. Pleasant, NC, Patti Bradshaw of Cameron, SC, Jerri Corl and her husband, Tommy, of Kannapolis, NC, Shannon Duffy and her husband, Mike, of Gilbertsville, KY and Stefanie Ziolkowski and her husband, Matthew, of Troutman, NC; grandchildren, Daniel Stirwalt, Dereck Stirwalt, Dustin Lear, Luke Hamrick, Landyn Hamrick, Courtney Smeltzer, Stan Smeltzer, Claire Smeltzer, Kalessin Duffy, Lyra Duffy, Zayne Ziolkowski, and Kade Ziolkowski and four great grandchildren.

Bill was raised in the Odell-Poplar Tent area and attended Odell School in Concord, NC. He served our country honorably in the US Navy from 1956 to 1960. He retired from Roadway Express in 1999. He was a proud member of Iron Peddlers Tractor Club and served as president from 2007-2008. After retirement, he loved playing with his "Big Boy Toys" (tractors). Having been raised on a farm, his hobby allowed him to appreciate old farm equipment the way it was years ago. He loved to see an old piece of machinery saved from the scrap pile and restored to preserve the old way of doing things. Large or small equipment - it didn’t make any difference - he loved it!

A visitation service will be held Thursday, March 14, 2013 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Troutman Funeral Home, 345 North Main, Troutman, NC 28166.

On Friday, March 15, 2013 he will lie in state from 10:30-11:00 a.m. at Troutman Baptist Church, 305 Perry Road, Troutman, NC 28166 and the funeral will follow. The funeral will be officiated by Pastor Steve Kramm.

A private, family burial with full military rites presented by the Iredell County Veterans Council Burial Detail will take place at Poplar Tent Presbyterian Church in Concord, NC.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Troutman Baptist Church, PO Box 275, Troutman, NC 28166 or Levine & Dickson Hospice House, 11900 Vanstory Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078.

Special Thanks to Dr. Reza Nazemzadeh, MD and his staff of Levine Cancer Institute and for the loving care of the Levine & Dickson Hospice House.