Norma Carolyn Coleman

Norma Carolyn Coleman passed away on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 after battling a lengthy illness at the Inn at Fairview healthcare facility in Hudson, NH.

Born on October 20, 1931 in Coleman, TX, Carolyn, as she was known to family and friends, spent most of her childhood in California. She dedicated much of her life to advocating for the health and safety of children and actively supporting women’s rights. While raising her four children in Amherst, NH, Carolyn attended school part time and earned her Bachelor’s degree from UNH in Durham, NH and her Master’s degree from Rivier College in Nashua, NH. She then began her life’s work, becoming a social worker for the Department of Health and Human Services in the State of New Hampshire in 1971. During her 15 years working for the State, Carolyn was driven to protect children from abusive or otherwise unsafe home conditions. Her devotion to service included many years as a volunteer for domestic abuse hotlines, often responding to calls in the middle of the night to offer a kind word and support to victims of domestic violence. In 1983, Carolyn returned to her roots in California where she continued to work in the field of social services.

For as long as she was physically able, Carolyn enjoyed taking vigorous hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. A member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, she appreciated outdoor experiences in all seasons. She continued to pursue this passion in California as a member of the Sierra Mountain Club. She was an avid reader, and a longtime member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Milford, NH. She enjoyed outings and lively discussions with a close circle of friends until her illness took hold in 2014.

Carolyn is predeceased by her husband, Lawrence Miller, Jr.; her parents Everett and Amanda Coleman; and her daughter, Janet Mack. The youngest of ten siblings, Carolyn is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Jayne and David Wing of Amherst, NH; her sons Alfred Byrnes of Windham, NH and Robert Byrnes and his wife, Kathy of Kittery, ME; six grandchildren, Walter Scarborough and his wife Ming of NY, NY, Richard Byrnes of Portland, ME, Jennifer Broek and husband Michael of Allenstown, NH, Julie Lawes and husband Chris of Manchester, NH, Tyler Wing of Bedford, NH, Amy Potter and husband Dan of Worcester, VT; three great grandsons, Quinn Potter, Jason Broek and Jordan Lawes; her brother, Max Coleman of Prescott, AZ; and her beloved niece, Norma Jane Bauer of Orange, CA.

At Carolyn’s request there will be no services. A private Celebration of Carolyn’s Life will be held by the immediate family at a later time. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Carolyn’s name to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, 110 East 42nd Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017.