By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 9, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Mary Jane (Lowery) Coleman, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 2, 1955, passed away peacefully at home on January 16, 2020, surrounded by her family. She was a cherished member of the Norman community, known for her selfless and resilient nature. Mary was adopted by Lucy and Joseph Eugene Lowery at age 9 and grew up in Tulsa. She attended Edison Junior and Senior High Schools, where she was a proud cheerleader, often entertaining her family with her memorable cheerleading tryouts.
Mary pursued higher education at the University of Oklahoma, earning her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Physical Education in 1977 and 1981, respectively. She was also a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. On December 10, 1983, she married Bill Coleman at University Methodist Church in Tulsa. Together, they enjoyed numerous adventures, including ski trips to Beaver Creek and beach vacations in Rosemary, FL, as well as OU/Texas weekends in Dallas.
Mary’s career as a physical education teacher at Jackson Elementary in Norman spanned 41 years, concluding with her retirement in 2019. Her passion for fitness inspired countless students to appreciate their physical abilities and embrace a healthy lifestyle. She founded the Jump Rope Club, known as the Jackson Jumpers, which performed for local schools and organizations. Her initiative was so successful that it was adopted by other school districts across the state. Mary also collaborated with the Jackson music faculty, choreographing various school programs, and initiated the Running Club, leading annual trips to OKC for the marathon’s final mile.
In recognition of her dedication, Jackson Elementary established the “Mary Coleman Physical Fitness Award” in 2019, honoring two students annually for their excellence in physical fitness. Mary’s love for competition extended to playing church softball for McFarlin for over 15 years, where she formed lasting friendships. Her passion for the sport also led her to coach the Jackson Angels for many years, where she excelled at teaching and building meaningful connections with her players. A fervent supporter of the Oklahoma Sooners and the New York Yankees, Mary’s legacy continues to inspire through her contributions to education and community life, reflecting the biblical call to serve and uplift others as seen in Matthew 25:35 and Galatians 6:10.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
