Karen Coleman

Karen Seagle Fulwider Coleman, most affectionately known as Grammie, joined the Church Triumphant on January 25, 2023. She was 78 years old.

Born August 28, 1944 at Kanawha Valley Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia to Anne and Bill Fulwider, Karen was raised in Charleston, and graduated from Charleston High School in 1962.  She went on to attend Virginia Intermont College, an all-women’s school at that time, and graduated with a 2-year associates degree in 1964. She then attended Texas Women’s University in Denton, TX, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology in 1966.

Karen moved to Sewickley, PA in 1966 to accept a teaching position in the Quaker Valley School district where she taught for several years. She met her husband of 51 years, Chet Coleman, in Sewickley. They were married on July 10, 1971 and moved to Moon Township, PA where they lived and raised their children until moving back to Karen’s home state of West Virginia in 1993.

Karen worked for several departments of the Federal Government including the Department of Immigration and Naturalization, the Department of Defense, and finally the Department of Agriculture until her retirement in 2008. She and Chet moved to Maryville, TN in 2010 to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by mother Annie Marie Apperson Fulwider of Omaha, Texas and father William Russell Fulwider of Radford, Virginia, brothers Gale Fulwider and William Fulwider, and sister Glen Fulwider.

Survived by husband of 51 years, James Chester Coleman, Jr., daughter Colleen Riordan and son-in-law Michael Riordan, son Shawn Coleman and daughter-in-law Athena Kotsianis, and her four grandsons whom she adored, Jack and Nick Riordan and Alex and Niko Coleman.

Karen was a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Maryville, TN branch since moving to East TN in 2010. She joined the Coraopolis/Sewickley branch of AAUW in 1977 and served as branch president, a role she continued in Charleston, WV before being named AAUW-WV State President. In Maryville, TN she co-chaired the position of president and was appointed to the National AAUW Membership Committee from July 2014 to June 2016. Karen spent her whole adult life passionately advocating for the support of women and girls in education, employment, voting rights, medical rights, and pay equity. She tirelessly worked to see that women and girls were given a fair chance to receive a quality education in any field they wished to pursue - opening careers to women that were closed for so long. 

She would not hesitate to make her voice heard in her community and with those who represented her in the State Assembly or in Congress. Her car was always easy to spot around town, as it boldly featured her I AM WOMAN WATCH ME VOTE bumper sticker on the back.

A member of New Providence Presbyterian Church since 2010, Karen was a member of the handbell choir, served at Welcome Table, and volunteered her time for Christmas Wishes.

An active member of Newcomers in Maryville, Karen organized many fun outings for the group which always included spirited entertainment and a good meal shared with friends.

She leaves us all with her booming voice and laughter echoing in our heads, countless shared memories in our hearts, a strong sense of responsibility to serve others, and several overly-ripe bananas that she had intended to bake into her famous banana bread.

A Celebration of Life Service for Karen will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at New Providence Presbyterian Church, 703 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN 37801, with a reception immediately following in the Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in honor of Karen F. Coleman be made to the American Association of University Women National, AAUW.org and then choose the area you wish to donate to - Greatest Needs Fund, National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), Education & Training Fund, Economic Security Fund, Leadership Fund, Governance & Sustainability Fund, or Moonen Lecce Giving Circle Special Projects Fund. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithFuneralandCremation.com