Fallen hero: Mark Coleman’s heroic life remembered in honor
Lou Marzeles
Editor
Master Sergeant Mark Coleman, late of Centerville, a graduate of Goldendale High School, comes home to a hero’s welcome this weekend.
Sadly, the welcome is posthumous, after his untimely death last week in Afghanistan. The 22-year Army veteran was killed in action during a combat patrol on Sunday, May 2. Reports are that he died trying to protect his troops and nearby Afghans.
“He was always more concerned about his troops than himself,” says his mother, Alice Eshelman, of Centerville. “They were young and green, and he always talked about wanting to be sure to get them home safely.”
After two prior tours in Afghanistan, this one made him a little nervous. “He was more concerned about this trip to Afghanistan,” says Eshelman. “On his previous tours there, he was with Australian troops. The Americans did more dangerous things.” With the greater portion of responsibility in the war in that country, Americans ventured routinely into more troubled waters.
Coleman was born in Boulder, Colo., but his family moved to Centerville, where he grew up. Coleman’s early life there was the stuff of boyhood lore. He loved his friends and his cars, but “he wasn’t the best student,” Eshelman recalls, “unless he was studying something that really interested him. He was a very busy boy, with all his interests and activities.” He was involved with wrestling and track and lots of horse shows, in which he placed prominently, both locally and regionally.
Coleman graduated from Goldendale High School in 1988. By fall of that year, he had enlisted in the Army. He married his high school sweetheart, Barbie Davidson, in the February of the next year, at the Nazarene Church in Goldendale. Their first child, Brett, was born while he was stationed in Germany. Their second child, Jessica, was born at Fort Sill, Okla.
“Mark felt the Army was a good place to be,” Eshelman says. “He said you can get out of the Army what you want. He felt it was the only branch of the services that gave you the best education. But he said you get out of it only what you put into it. Through the Army, he made sure his kids’ education was provided for—for just an occasion such as this.”
Coleman’s personal philosophy of life helped make him a good soldier, Eshelman points out. “Mark always saw things in black and white,” she says. “Your conduct is either good or bad, right or wrong. That helped him a lot. And if you ever needed any kind of help, he was always right there.”
Coleman clearly made an indelible impression on many. There are people coming to his funeral service this Saturday from Australia, and in this country from as far away as New York and North Carolina, according to reports. An 80-year-old World War II veteran expressed interest in coming from a distance. At his military commemorative service on Friday, a general and a colonel were moved to tears, according to reports from those in attendance.
Gov. Christine Gregoire’s office was contacted by The Sentinel to see if she had plans to attend the funeral. Her spokesperson, Viet Shelton, said that the governor has standing requests to attend ceremonies for Washington state military personnel killed in action, but that she always defers to the wishes of the families. In this case, Shelton said, “the family politely declined to have the governor there. There are a lot of reasons why families might not want the governor there, for privacy or to avoid excess publicity. The governor is always respectful of family wishes.” Gov. Gregoire did order all state flags to be flown at half staff all day Tuesday in Coleman’s honor.
Goldendale Mayor Arletta Parton too has ordered city flags flown at half staff through Saturday, when Coleman’s funeral is scheduled. She also issued a proclamation honoring Coleman. Klickitat County flags have also been ordered flown at half staff through Saturday.
Coleman’s body is coming from Fort Lewis for services and burial this Saturday, May 15. Capt. James Obson arrives here Friday to help facilitate the events. After a private morning service, Coleman will be interred at the Centerville Cemetery between noon and 12:30 p.m Saturday. The public funeral for Coleman will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Grace Brethren Church.
Proclamation in honor of Mark Coleman by Goldendale Mayor Arletta Parton
Proclamation, in honor of Master Sergeant Mark W. Coleman
WHEREAS, Master Sergeant Mark W. Coleman was killed when he stepped on an improvised explosive device on May 02, 2010, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, and
WHEREAS, Coleman was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan. This was his fifth deployment in support of an Overseas Contingency Operation, and
WHEREAS, Coleman was a 1988 graduate of Goldendale High School in Goldendale, WA, after which he enlisted in the US Army on October 13, 1988, as a Fire Support Specialist, and
WHEREAS, Coleman received numerous awards and decorations during his service and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart, and
WHEREAS, Coleman was deeply devoted to his family and his job and knew he was making a difference in people’s lives across the world, and
WHEREAS, Coleman is survived by his wife, Barbie (also a graduate of Goldendale High School) of Yelm, WA and their children, Brett of Fort Richardson, Alaska and Jessica of Yelm, WA. He is also survived by his mother Alice Fay Eshelman of Centerville, WA his adoptive-father James Coleman of Wenatchee, WA and is father Harley Neal Vermilion of Texas, and
WHEREAS, Coleman will be interred at the Centerville Cemetery on Saturday, May 15, 2010 and will be remembered for his service to our country at a Public Memorial on the same day, and
WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of Washington has directed that flags at all Washington state agency facilities be lowered to half-staff Tuesday, May 11, 2010, in memory of US Army Master Sergeant Mark W. Coleman, and
WHEREAS, the City of Goldendale, Washington wishes to continue to honor our fallen soldier through the entire week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARLETTA PARTON, Mayor of the City of Goldendale do hereby proclaim that all city flags be lowered to half-staff in honor of Master Sergeant Mark W. Coleman from now until after Coleman’s funeral which is scheduled for Saturday, May 15, 2010.
And I urge all citizens of the community to join me in honoring Mark Coleman, supporting his family and remembering his service to our country.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Goldendale to be affixed the 11th day of May, 2010.
—Arletta Parton, Mayor
River Peoples Cultural Exchange this weekend
The Second Annual River Peoples Cultural Exchange will be held Saturday, May 15, from noon to 7 p.m. at Lyle Park Place, Third and Klickitat Streets, Lyle.
The River Peoples Cultural Exchange is a collaborative effort of the Columbia River People and the Lyle Community to share traditions, educate, build friendships, and promote goodwill within area communities and the greater region.
Native elders share ancestral stories and oral histories, while other Native members demonstrate traditional dances, drumming, songs and customs that honor their way of life. Ceremonial foods (salmon, wild game, roots, berries) are prepared and shared with everyone who attends the event.
This year’s event coincides with Armed Forces Day. Special guests will include state and local dignitaries, and all veterans will be especially honored. Well-deserved recognition will also go to graduating high school seniors from the Lyle and Wishram communities.
Admission is free. A donation for the salmon dinner is suggested. This is an alcohol-free event. Parking may be difficult, so please consider carpooling. Bring a folding chair for comfort.
The River Peoples Cultural Exchange is part of Community Enrichment of Klickitat County (CEKC), a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible.
For more information, visit www.riverpeoplesculturalexchange.org.
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