Robert W. Coleman

Robert (Bob) William Coleman, age 71, of Sarasota FL, died on March 3, 2021 of injuries sustained in a bicycle accident on January 27, 2021. He was born on May 27, 1949 at Van Allen Hospital, Kodaikanal, South India. His parents were Margaret Hawkinson Coleman and William Dawson Coleman who were Lutheran missionaries in Andhra, India for 44 years. At the age of six Bob entered Kodai School, a boarding school for missionary children in the Palani hills of South India. He graduated from there in 1966. All his life, he was devoted to the friendships begun at Kodai School and nurtured at annual Kodai reunions. Bob moved to the U.S. in 1966 and attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem PA. He graduated from Augustana College, Rock Island IL in 1970 with a B.A. in geology. Bob started his carrier in 1979 with Smally, Wellford & Nalven (SWN), where he worked with their engineering department, but soon moved over to the survey department as a crew chief. Bob was very intelligent and worked extremely hard, so was asked to work in the office and start managing projects. Soon after Bob passed his exam and became a Professional Surveyor & Mapper. SWN merged with WilsonMiller and was later purchased by Stantec, but Bob remained through all the transitions. His mentor and friend Bob Cunningham remembers Bob as a cheerful, energetic free spirit. Bob was always ready to help his co-workers, and everyone enjoyed working with him. They will all miss his smiling face. Bob retired from Stantec in 2019. Bob met Julie Hanson in the late ‘80’s; they married in 1995 and were together for over 30 years until his death. Bob and Julie enjoyed summers on their property in Burnsville, North Carolina, where they shared an affinity for animals and nature. Bob lovingly supported Julie in developing a compassionate cat rescue called Be the Change, Inc., a lifelong passion of hers. He was looking forward to spending more of his time in retirement at the property with their most beloved pets, including their recently adopted puppy, Cado. They had just finished remodeling a cabin there for his mother-in-law Helen this last summer. Bob was previously married to Shanta Derr. They had two children, Devin Anand Coleman-Derr of Concord, California and Sharis Gita Coleman-Derr of Largo, Florida. One of Bob’s greatest gifts was as a listener. When he asked you how you were doing, he would give you his full attention and listen carefully to your response in the most non-judgmental way. As his family reconnected to tell “Bob stories,” they realized how he had made so many in his life feel fully seen and heard. He was always up for an adventure: sailing, camping, hiking, dancing, home improvement projects, and trying new foods. Other pursuits he enjoyed were meditation, cycling, tai chi, bird watching, walking on his favorite Florida beaches, stargazing, singing, and spending time at home with Julie and the animals. While he worked very hard at his career throughout his life, he also consistently made time to connect with both of his children and his two grandchildren. He loved music (especially the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, and Peter, Paul and Mary), had a wonderful tenor voice, and was just learning to play the guitar. Bob was the kindest of men, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. All who met him were touched by his gentle soul, manifested by his many acts of empathy, thoughtfulness and genuine caring. Bob is survived by his wife, Julie Hanson of Sarasota, his son Devin Anand Coleman-Derr of Concord CA (Dawn Chiniquy), his granddaughters Madeleine Chiniquy Coleman and Ella Chiniquy Coleman, of Concord CA, his daughter Sharis Gita Coleman-Derr (Adam Ayers) of Largo FL, his brother John Coleman (Kathy) of Enfield CT, and his sister Mary Coleman Lowry (David) of New Orleans LA.

Robert W. Coleman

May 27, 1949 - March 3, 2021