January 8, 2012

Separate funerals for Opal Estelle Henderson Coleman, 98, of Utica, Miss. were Wed., Jan. 11, at the Christian Church in Utica with the Revs. Jerry Smith and Brad Hartzog officiating and Thurs., Jan. 12, at 1 p.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel in Hartselle.

Burial was in Piney Grove Christian Church Cemetery.

Mrs. Coleman died Sun., Jan. 8, 2012, in Jackson, Miss. She was born to Otay and Eva Beulah Powell Henderson in Falkville on June 10, 1913.

A graduate of Falkville High School, she made plans to attend a business college in North Carolina but elected to stay at home to help with her father when he became ill.

She and her husband Carl farmed in Massey before moving to Michigan. They later relocated to Jackson, Miss. She was employed as a school cafeteria manager and later moved to Utica.

Mrs. Coleman professed her faith in Christ and was baptized while attending Piney Grove Christian Church in Falkville. She and her husband Carl worked with Cedar Plains Christian Church. She served as a Bible teacher wherever she worshiped and was president of the Christian Women’s Fellowship in Mississippi.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Coleman; an infant daughter, Bobby Faye; a son, Wallace Van; three brothers, Elmer, William Otto and Comer Henderson; and a sister, Mary Elizabeth Henderson King.

The matriarch of the Henderson family, Mrs. Coleman was cherished by all of her nephews and nieces. A dear son-in-law Rudolph Cohron is one of her survivors. He lovingly cared for her following the death of his wife, Donna.

She is also survived by three nephews, James Herbert Henderson of Hartselle, Jay B. Henderson and wife Francis of North Carolina and Robert King and wife Laura of Texas; four nieces, Mary Ruth Henderson Troxell of Texas; Sheryl Henderson Keenan and Marilyn Henderson Mitchell and husband James, both of Iowa; and Katie Sue King Howard and husband Reynolds of Hartselle; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

Nephews were pallbearers.