Shorty Coleman of Colorado, formerly of North Platte, Nebraska, peacefully passed away at his home on July 2, 2020 at the age of 78.
Shorty was born on June 18, 1942 in North Platte, Nebraska to Raymond and Alvina Coleman. He was given the name Carroll Lee, but everyone called him Shorty. He was raised on a dairy farm ten miles southeast of town and loved the farm and all his animals. Shorty had two favorite dogs, Sparky and a German Shepherd named Tycon, and two horses, Gopher and Princess.
Living on a farm is fun and the work is hard....every morning and night, the cows had to be milked and then after the milking was finished Shorty always forgot to close the gates, thus the cows would get out and Skip, Shorty's brother, would have to go get them.
One afternoon when Shorty went to bring the cows home, he encountered a rattlesnake but fortunately he carried a sock with him. Shorty used that sock to distract the snake. Throwing it down on the ground, the snake would strike and encircle itself around the sock. The up on the hill, Shorty's sister, Marilyn, would be watching. When he waved his arms, Marilyn would get dad to drive out to where Shorty was to shoot the rattlesnake. The snake was then hung over the barbed wire fence because there was a saying, "Hang the snake over the fence and you will get rain." Well, most of the time that was true!
Shorty attended Sioux Lookout Grade School, which was a mile from home. When he was in the 5th grade he was sickened with Rheumatic Fever and ended up missing that whole year of school. School was never his thing, but he was a trooper and finished through the 8th grade and then attended North Platte Senior High where he was active in band, playing the tenor saxophone.
On the night of his graduation, his mom received a call from the school informing her that Shorty couldn't graduate because he was one credit short. But being the trooper that he was, Shorty took a typing course that summer and passed with an A and received not one credit, but three, thus receiving his diploma!
Shorty was active in the Blue Sage 4-H Horse Club where he won many purple and blue ribbons in Barrel Racing and Pole Bending with his horse, Princess. Shorty, Skip and their dad were all members of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Posse for many years and Shorty and his dad twice rode in the Pony Express re-enactments.
Along with working on the farm, Shorty was active in the Nebraska National Guard for six years. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad from 1964 to 1972, then moved to his beloved Colorado mountains where he worked at a blood plant in Brighton before moving to Fort Collins and working for the County of Larimore. Being in Colorado, he enjoyed watching the Denver Broncos and it was his son, Lee, who took him to his first Broncos Football game.
Shorty was a kind-hearted person, always thinking of the other individual first and always ready to help anyone. He would willingly give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed help. He was always ready for life and ready to take on a new adventure.
Shorty loved his wife, Liz, very much and always wanted her by his side. He was very proud of his children, Lee, R.J., Shawna, Joshus, Necco and Fawn, and loved them as well. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy.
Shorty had a motto, "All that mattered in life was work hard, take care of your family, and drink beer." He will always be remembered as a very good person who will be missed very much. Rest in peace, Shorty, we love you!
Along with his wife, children, and grandchildren, Shorty is survived by his sister, Marilyn Hastings of North Platte, Nebraska and his brother, Skip Coleman of Mineral Point, Wisconsin; along with other family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a daughter, Shawna.
Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, Colorado. Condolences may be sent to Marilyn Hastings at 2018 Anna Ave, North Platte, NE 69101 or Liz Coleman at 2213 Trevor Street, Ft. Collins, CO 80521. Shorty's memorial book may be signed online at odeanchapel.com.