Graveside services for Betty Jo Coleman, 90, a longtime resident of Portales, will be at 10:00 AM, Mon., Aug. 27, 2018 in the Portales Cemetery with Rev. Ron Fox officiating.
Betty Jo Coleman was born July 22, 1928 in Stillwell, OK to the home of Mattie Melvina (Burton) and Harburn R. Fox and died early on the morning of Aug. 24, 2018 at the age of 90 years, 1 month and 2 days. The family was planning on moving to California in 1941, but stopped on the way in Portales, and decided to stay. Mrs. Fox had six brothers. All of them except Albert served during WWII. They served in Europe, Japan, and the Pacific, and all of them returned home safely. She always thought that was amazing. Although her family were Primitive Baptist, she ventured to a dance at the Midway, and it was there that she met Leroy Coleman. They were married Nov. 5, 1945, and made their home in the Arch community. After the death of her husband, she became a cashier at the University Bookstore, and worked there for about 15 years. During that time she became acquainted with a great many people. She enjoyed sewing and crocheting. For a number of years she made ceramics with a group of ladies.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Erwin and Linda Coleman of Amarillo, TX; four grandchildren, Shawn Michael Coleman and wife, Kim, Kari Laree Coleman, Eric Allen Coleman and Taya Coleman; as well as a number of nieces and nephews and other family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers, Travis, Billy, Albert, Tom, Paul, and John “Deets” Fox; a son, David Coleman who died in 2001 and by her husband, Leroy who died April 9, 1975.
