Joyce Van Coleman

“Be Careful how you live, you may be the only Bible some people will ever read.”

Ms. Joyce V. Coleman was born to Addie B. McCann and Vachel McCann on December 2, 1935. She was the 7th of 9 children given to the McCann Family. Joyce and her siblings (2 boys and 7 girls) were raised on a farm approximately sixty miles south of Houston, Texas in a small town called Egypt, Texas. They attended the Mt. Gilead Baptist Church where Joyce accepted Christ at an early age. She graduated from Crescent High School, Egypt TX (1953), and received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Prairie View A & M University (PVAMU), Prairie view, TX (1957). She went on to earn her master’s in education/principal credentials from Seattle University, Seattle, Washington (1982).

In 1957 she exchanged her maiden name “McCann for the surname Coleman after meeting and marring the love of her life, Robert L. Coleman, Jr. on the campus of PVAMU. The couple lived the majority of their 67-year marriage in Seattle, WA and were blessed with three daughters, Barbara, Marilyn, and Carolyn, two sons-in-law, Paul and Stan, and two grandchildren, Coleman and Sydney. 

For over two decades, Joyce taught business administration to junior high and high school students in the Seattle and Federal Way School Districts. Students proclaimed her to be their favorite teacher and parents loved her even more. She guided her classroom with a loving, sturdy hand and encouraged her students to excel inside and outside the classroom. 

Joyce was especially active in the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Seattle, WA, where she and Robert were members for over 60 years. Joyce served as President of the Women’s Mission, sung in the Women’s Chorus, faithfully attended, and sometimes taught Sunday school, and served on numerous church and community committees and boards. She often said it’s not about the work we do, but the relationship we have with Christ. The work is just a by-product - only what we do for Christ will last.

Joyce was known for her kind and loving spirit. She was the person everyone gravitated to when a lift was needed from the toils of life. If you were hurting, she’d show up with a pound cake, a scripture, and a prayer—covering you in warmth the way only she could. She cultivated many deep and lasting friendships through her ability to hear what was in your heart and share what was in hers. She was also recognized for having a quick and humorous wit. Whenever she was asked “where are you from?” she would smile brightly and say Egypt! Slowly, eventually, adding the word Texas. 

After a long and courageous battle with dementia (onset 2011) Joyce went the way of the all the earth on Tuesday February 18, 2025. She fought the good fight and is now positioned to hear “Well done my good and faithful servant, well done”. She leaves behind her loving husband, Mr. Robert L. Coleman, Jr., 3 daughters, Mrs. Barbara Coston (Paul), Mrs. Marilyn Tolliver (Stan), & Ms. Carolyn Coleman, an older sister, Ms. Rose Hall, Sisters-In-Law Ms. Joan Bass and Mrs. Pat McCann, grandkids Dr. Coleman Tolliver (Catherine) and Ms. Sydney Tolliver, along with a host of wonderful nieces, nephews and life-long friends who loved her dearly.