William L. Coleman

William LeFebvre Coleman (Bill), 100, passed away peacefully at his home in Jaffrey, New Hampshire on January 15th, surrounded by his family. 

Bill was born August 7th, 1924, in Avon, Connecticut, to Eleanor LeFebvre Coleman and Raymond Coleman. Bill and his younger brother Ed, were raised in Bristol Connecticut, spending most weekends and summers at their maternal grandparents home and farm in Collinsville, CT. Bill and Ed were Eagle Scouts and Bill often entertained his family with stories of their adventures at scout camp and at their grandparents farm. Henry LeFebvre, Bill’s grandfather, was a blacksmith and a large influence, teaching him how to build everything and also introducing him to his cousins the Beans in Jaffrey, NH, where he would eventually move with his family, and live the rest of his life.

Bill graduated from Bristol High School in 1941. During his freshman year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), he enlisted in the Airborne division of the Army and spent the next 4 years training to be a fighter pilot, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt, and becoming a lieutenant. His squadron shipped out from California for missions in the Pacific theater on August 6th 1945, the same day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and he was recalled back to the US base just hours after they took off.

After the war ended he returned to RPI where he got a degree in mechanical engineering (Class of 1949), was president of his class, played on the RPI lacrosse team (which represented the US in the 1948 London Olympics and earned him and his team mates a bronze medal), was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and met the love of his life, Mildred (Billie) Blythe, on a blind date skating in 1947.

Bill and Billie were married June 14th, 1950 in Cortland, NY. and eventually settled in Jaffrey, N.H. where they raised their family, and hosted many memorable gatherings at their home in Jaffrey Center. With the help of his initial investor and cousin D.D. Bean, he started Bean Fiberglass with Joseph (Joe) Manning in1957, which he was the president and CEO of, until he sold the company and retired in the 1990’s. He was a pioneer of the fiberglass industry, designing looms and patenting high performance products, working closely with customers on design specifications, primarily boat builders, many of whom became lifelong friends. He also had a keen interest in finance and served on the board of the Peterborough Savings Bank for many years.

In 1966 he designed and built a one of a kind fiberglass house on Swans Island, Maine; where he summered with his family every year after. He and Billie were both avid sailors, and spent many months aboard their boats, cruising the coast of Maine, in addition to countless day-trips and overnights with their children, grandchildren and friends to the surrounding islands and the Virgin Islands on charter boats

Bill remained active his whole life, refereeing men’s collegiate lacrosse into his 70’s, skiing until his late 80’, and boating into his 90’s. He could design, build and fix just about anything from entire houses to whatever his grandchildren were interested in making in his well stocked basement workshops. In addition to being a fan and supporter of classical and jazz music (he was a trustee of Monadnock Music for many years) he was an accomplished musician, playing renaissance and baroque music in trios, quartets and quintets with Billie for many decades. After Billie died in 2021, he focused on playing the piano by ear, mastering dissonance chords and playing daily right up to the last days of his life.

He had a sharp wit, great sense of humor and was a consummate story and joke teller, always able to entertain a crowd, and adored by his family and friends. His 100th birthday happened to coincide with the 200th anniversary of RPI, and the summer Olympics, which prompted a visit and an interview with the President of RPI, Martin Schmidt. A couple of months after he was also interviewed by USA Lacrosse Magazine, who ran a story on “the Last Living Lacrosse Olympian” in advance of lacrosse being reintroduced in the next summer Olympics in LA.

Bill was predeceased by his beloved wife Mildred (Billie) Coleman and his brother Edward Coleman. He is survived by his daughters Blythe Coleman of Swanzey, NH, Betsy Potter of Jaffrey, NH, Amy Coleman of Randolph, ME, and Margaret (Meg) Coleman and son in law Philip Bogden of Portland, ME; grandchildren Christopher Potter and wife Meaghan, Mary O’Neill and husband Brian O’Neil, and Cole Bogden; and great grandson Nolan Potter. 

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held June 21st at 1:00 PM at the First Church in Jaffrey N.H. 
Contributions may be made in memory and celebration of Bill’s life to The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.