[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E41]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          DR. JOHN H. COLEMAN

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 10, 2017

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. John 
H. Coleman, a longtime Toledo physician who was dedicated to his 
community.
  Dr. Coleman was renowned for his empathy and giving nature. In every 
situation, Dr. Coleman's first concern was for others. Friends describe 
his attitude as always seeking to help others and improve the lives of 
those he has helped. Dr. Coleman's spirit was an inspiration to those 
who worked with him in Toledo, where he served as a family physician 
for many decades. In 1999 Dr. Coleman was awarded Family Physician of 
the Year by the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, a testament to his 
skills as a doctor and also his leadership and stewardship.
  Dr. Coleman taught at the former Medical College of Ohio and served 
on the Lucas County Children Services and Cordelia Martin Health Center 
Boards. These positions enabled him to shape the minds and embolden a 
new generation of physicians who continue to honor him by serving the 
Toledo community, including Dr. Imran Andrabi, now the president and 
chief executive of Mercy Health.
  It is unsurprising that Dr. Coleman is held in such high esteem by 
his colleagues. His story is one that cannot be fabricated. Born in 
August, 1928, Dr. Coleman grew up in segregated Madison, Indiana, the 
grandson of a slave. At age fifteen he graduated from high school as 
the class valedictorian. Genius notwithstanding, Dr. Coleman also 
showed an early desire to serve his community and his country as a 
Captain in the Army Medical Corps.
  Dr. Coleman will be dearly missed for his enduring kindness and 
dedication to his community. Dr. Coleman will now join his son David, 
who died in 1977. He is survived by his wife, Joan, children Michael, 
Jeffrey, and Linda, and eight grandchildren. His legacy will survive 
him in Toledo, where he has shaped the current medical landscape and 
done so much for the community at large, and for the African-American 
community as a path-breaking role model. We offer his family our 
prayers and hope that they find comfort in the wonderful memories of 
their beloved husband and father.

                          ____________________