A Life of Devotion to Others

Gloria Letitia Jones was born on Sunday, November 18, 1934, in Washington, District of Columbia.  She was the daughter of Charles Henry Jones, III, and Shizu Fujiwara Jones. The Jones family resided on “S” Street, Northwest, in the historic LeDroit Park area of the city, blocks from Howard University. Young Gloria grew up with her older brother, Charles Henry Jones, IV, attending District public schools and participating in the many cultural and extra-curricular activities offered in the prestigious neighborhood. After graduating from Dunbar High School, Gloria enrolled at nearby Howard, majoring in education at its Miner’s Teachers College, thus fulfilling her family expectations of higher academic pursuit.

On the campus of Howard, Gloria met John Brady Coleman, a debonaire Fisk graduate, medical student, from Houston, Texas. John was the love of her life.  Their relationship blossomed and the couple got married on January 6, 1955,while they both continued their education. John and Gloria were blessed with three beautiful, fun-loving children – Kathleen Letitia, John Brady, Jr., and Garnet Fredrick.  All were born on the Howard campus in its Freedmen’s Hospital, while John interned there. The Coleman family attended St. George’s Episcopal Church, located very near where Gloria grew up.  All three children were baptized there.  At the conclusion of his residency in 1962, Dr. John B. Coleman brought his young family home to his beloved Third Ward in Houston. They then joined and began attending St. James Episcopal Church. The lives of the Colemans were intertwined with family traditions, community involvement and the changing entrepreneurial environment of this growing city.  It was an invigorating time for all.

Gloria was the coordinator of family activities – directing the development of school projects for her children, creating costumes for their programs and “co-authoring” their written assignments. Her instructions extended to their friends and her neighbors when deadlines were looming.  For Kathy, Johnny and Garnet, their loving Mother was the sage giver of advice. The memories of her wisdom remain the guiding light for each of them. 

Gloria converted attendance at annual National Medical Association (NMA) meetings into weeklong family vacations, becoming Treasurer of the Auxiliary of NMA.  She supported her husband’s NMA participation and conducted sightseeing ventures for her three inquisitive children.  Active in the spouse-membership Auxiliary to the Houston Medical Forum, she was also a member of The Smart Set, The Moles, The Carousels, NAACP, and along-term volunteer with the March of Dimes and the UNCF for over a decade.  Link Gloria was a charter member, officer and President of The Port City (TX) Chapter of The Links, Inc. She brought her financial talents to these groups, budgeting their scheduled events and building close relationships with group members at scores of meetings and conventions.

Civically, politically, and culturally engaged in her community throughout her life, Gloria was a masterful cook who hosted hundreds of meetings, fundraisers and receptions in their Ewing Street home.  The Coleman house was filled with works which she selected that were createdby nationally known artists such as John Thomas Biggers, Floyd Newsum, Jesse Lott and many, many others.“John B.” and Gloria made their home the headquarters for community campaigns, business gatherings and media-covered social events.  It was home base for new ideas — formally planned or conceived at the spur of the moment.

Being a budget conscious wife, Gloria pursued her interest in fashion, sewing many of her own and her husband’s clothes, adding her personal flair to the patterns she purchased.  A patient, nimble, talented knitter and crocheter, she knitted blankets and clothing for her babies and children and for those of her friends. She crocheted the christening gown for her granddaughter and enjoyed spending time with her extended family, especially her sister-in-law, Miriam Coleman.   Always determined to be the classy epitome of style, with pearls and diamonds, Gloria loved to shop.  She shopped on trips and for trips; she shopped for her home and every member of her family; she shopped for her organizations and for charity events. She watched her dollars, but her style was impeccable. Those close to her were the beneficiaries.  Gloria remained the model-size of her teens and enjoyed the wide range of options it afforded her.

The Colemans enjoyed traveling to visit family members in the DC area for holidays and special family gatherings. They sent their children to Howard to follow in their footsteps. The couple enjoyed traveling to Super Bowl games and events, along with trips to honor his commitment to the Boards of Entex Corporation and Texas A and M University. They shared a special dedication to Prairie View A and M University, where Gloria joined in the ribbon-cutting of its University Library named in his honor.

Gloria peacefully passed away at home on Sunday, April 13, 2025.  In 1994, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of thirty-nine years, Dr. John Brady “John B.” Coleman.  Gloria is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Letitia Coleman; sons, John Brady Coleman Jr., and Garnet Fredrick Coleman (Angelique); grandchildren, Garnet Austin Coleman (Jeremy) and Evan Angelique Coleman; nephews, Charles Henry Jones V and Arthur W. Coleman; nieces, Annette Coleman Bracey (Arthur), Sabrina Whitfield Hammond Sellers, Teryl Whitfield Sprouse, Susan Coleman Williams, Carol Coleman Adams (Kevin), Valerie Coleman Ferguson, numerous grandnephews and grandnieces, cousins and friends.

Memorial Service:

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 11:00 AM

McCoy and Harrison Funeral Home, 4918 Martin Luther King Blvd., Houston, Texas 77021