My Mom, Susan Coleman, grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Her family moved frequently when she was young, as her father served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After he returned safely from the war, they settled in Rocky River, a suburb west of Cleveland. A studious child, Mom often found herself placed in a grade higher than her age when starting at new schools, and she graduated from Rocky River High at just 16.
The following fall, Mom began attending the College of Wooster, where she met her lifelong best friend, Caryl Slater, and her future husband, John Coleman. Mom and Dad married in 1955, moved into married student housing, and started a family with the birth of my brother, John, in 1956. Baby John even attended Mom’s commencement when she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in French, Spanish, and Italian. By that time, Dad had finished his degree and found a job in Wooster, so they decided to settle there.
Mom and Dad rented various apartments and homes around Wooster as their family grew, welcoming my brother, Mike, in 1959. A couple of years later, Mom’s parents moved to Wooster from Rocky River and purchased the Hilltop Motel on Route 30 east of town. Mom and Dad began renovating a barn on the motel property and moved their family into their new home just before I was born in 1964. Together, they worked closely with my grandparents to run the motel and manage the extensive property. Over the years, they acquired additional rental properties in Wooster and took over the motel business. Mom often said that working with her parents and husband on real estate was a path she never envisioned for herself, but it profoundly impacted her life. She developed an independent spirit and ingenuity she never knew she had, continuing to manage multiple properties even after my father and grandparents passed away.
Both of my parents were dedicated teachers while also running the rental businesses. Mom taught at Ida Sue School and eventually became principal, finding great fulfillment in providing quality education for children with special needs. She furthered her education by completing a Master’s degree in Special Education and continued to volunteer at Ida Sue for years after retiring in the mid-1990s.
An avid reader, Mom was rarely without a book. She loved to pack a book and a hat to spend hours reading on the deck of Dad’s boat while he fished. Together, they bought a small fishing cottage from my Grandma Coleman and transformed it into a cherished lake house, where three generations of our family continue to create memories.
As a young mother, Mom was drawn to Westminster as a spiritual home for her family. Westminster seemed to her to be a church engaged with social issues and injustices. She participated in nearly every aspect of the Westminster community, teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, serving as Secretary of Session, working on the Benevolences Committee, and contributing in various ways—baking cookies, painting church rooms, leading knitting groups, cutting labels, packing lunches, and more. She took great satisfaction in her contributions, cherishing the connections she made with her Westminster family.
Written and shared by Amy Chodzin, daughter, November 3, 2024
