The town of Patagonia mourned the death of Jim Coleman when he died early in December. The Vietnam veteran, motorcycle rider, firefighter, ranger, town councilor, father, and devoted husband to Marilyn will be missed by all his colleagues and friends.
Jim was born James Ray Coleman, in Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 31, 1945, making him 70 years old at the time of his death. He had an impressive record of achievement, both academically and militarily, having attended Auburn University, the U.S Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. He served as an aviator in the US Navy from 1965-1972.
He fought in the Vietnam War, where he flew P-3 aircraft on reconnaissance missions. He made three combat deployments of six to eight months each in 1968, 1969, and 1970.
Marilyn was his second wife and between them, they raised three sons, Jamie, Craig, and Tom. The couple moved to Patagonia in 2000, where Jim joined the fire department as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He was twice elected to the city council and was serving in the third year of his second term when he died. Fellow councilors were unanimous in their praise of his abilities to clarify issues and see a way forward. “He was the heart of the council.” said Gilbert Quiroga. Meg Gilbert adds, “It was clear sitting next to Jim that he cared deeply about this town. He was skilled in making issues clear. He could see the bigger situation and create a motion that would address the essential elements. He is already being missed greatly.”