Sam Coleman

Sam Coleman, 92, of Elbow Lake, passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at Sanford in Fargo, ND. A Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 2, 2024, at United Lutheran Church in Elbow Lake. Visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday at Erickson-Smith Funeral Home with a Prayer Service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment at Union Cemetery, Elbow Lake.

Samuel Roy Coleman was born on January 5, 1932, in Elbow Lake, MN, to Roy and Alma (Melaas) Coleman. He was baptized and confirmed at Bethania Lutheran Church in rural Elbow Lake, MN. Sam attended District 25 country school through the 8th grade, then would go on to graduate in 1950 from Elbow Lake High School. A few years after graduation, he was enlisted in the United States Army, where he proudly served in Korea. While stationed there to help rebuild the roadway structures, Sam met the Korean President, and was personally invited back to the country, but he respectfully declined. After he was honorably discharged, he went on to attend North Dakota State School of Science (NDSSS) for diesel mechanics. Sam would go on to work as a heavy equipment operator for road construction for 45 years. On December 28, 1957, Samuel was united in marriage to DeMaris Mecklenberg at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. They lived in various places before settling in Elbow Lake in 1961.  

Sam liked to stay busy. He enjoyed traveling, trips to the casino, playing bingo, watching old machinery at Rollag and Dalton Steam Threshers Reunions, fishing, and hunting.   One of his favorite places to be was at the cabin on Eagle Lake that has been in his family for about 100 years. At the age of 12, he received his first hunting license, and renewed it every year until he was 91. 

Samuel is survived by his daughter, Jane Gardner; sons, Perry (Tammie) Coleman, Joel (Carla) Coleman, James (Chris) Coleman, Tim (Gayle) Coleman; grandchildren, Andrea (Jacob), Ashley (Kurt), Craig (Megan), Katie (Jake), Alex, Eric (Sophie), Matt (Carrie), Jonathan, Kendra (Ryan), Ted, Liz (Tim), Suzanne (Michael), Patrick (Emma), Ally (Dustin), Nathan (Emily); 21 great-grandchildren; brother and sisters, Gerald Coleman, Ione (Jim) Goff and Janice (Dick) Nagel; brothers-in-law, Curt (Marie) Mecklenberg, Bob Mecklenberg, and Harlan Haarstad; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Alma; wife, DeMaris; sister, Ruth (Bob) Wyman; brothers and sisters-in-law, Gail Coleman, Rodney (Carrie Ann) Mecklenberg, Sandy Haarstad, Janet (Gordon) Bjugan, and his special friend, Gwen Haack.

Arrangements by Erickson-Smith Funeral Home of Elbow Lake.