When my grandfather, Donald Coleman, transitioned to Heaven, or the next plane of existence, whichever comes after we leave this physical plane, I was called upon to deliver a speech in honorarium to “Pa Pa,” the patriarch of our family. There were two phrases he lived by and constantly imparted upon us: 1) Live and Let Live, and 2) Good things happen to good people. Put in the simplest terms, he was a jolly fellow 🙂 In fact, I think I only saw him cry once, and that was out of deep gratitude, not sadness. He was undeniably a Man of God, Deacon Coleman at Landmark Missionary Baptist Church on Chicago’s Westside. And so, I wrote from that angle, standing in the pulpit of the church he faithfully attended every Sunday for more years than I am old. My tribute went like this…

“Men, come together and unite! Let us repair the link that has been lost and honor our Patriarch!

To be a man. 

What is said of manhood? 

Paul the Apostle instructed, “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong. Let everything you do be done in love.”

Donald Coleman was a man, strong and firm in his faith! 

The famous composer Mozart said, “One can not always be a hero, but one can always choose to be a man.”

By the grace of God, Donald Coleman was a man AND a hero to all of us. 

It was the great Frederick Douglass who said, “The man who will get up, will be helped up.” 

Donald Coleman not only rose to the occasion every time, but he helped all of us to get up and stay up. He was a man. 

It was the great Malcolm X who said, “Be a man. Earn what you need for your own family…then your family respects you. They are proud to say, that’s my father.

We are proud to call Donald Coleman father, uncle, cousin, friend, and a host of honorable title. But more than all, he was a man! 

May we, the male descendants of Donald Coleman, follow the example he set forth and embody the qualities and character of manhood he demonstrated. 

Though his link in our chain is no longer physically present, we will link together to hold the family together. Men, link arms and bond together! 

In the spirit of Donald Coleman, we humbly submit ourselves to the service of our families and our community. 

God, give us strength. And so it is.