Nola Mae (Hawkins) Coleman

Nola Mae (Hawkins) Coleman, 80, passed away Saturday, April 13, 2024.  Born in Shaw, Mississippi, she was the eldest daughter of the late Andrew Hawkins, Sr. and Mary Louise (Givens) Hawkins.  She was an advocate for learning and became the Director/Founder of the Head Start Program in Shaw, Mississippi. Nola attended the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) to study Early Childhood Development and she was one of the first women of color to attend. She later attended Coahoma Community College.

After Nola’s retirement, she continued her passion for teaching by educating her grandchildren during their formative years. She was a member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  She was also a member of the Coalition for Social Justice (New Bedford, MA).

Nola loved reading, crossword puzzles, word search puzzles and coloring.  She was big fan of wrestling with Junkyard Dog and the Undertaker being her favorite wrestlers.  Nola was loved by many.

She leaves her husband, Earnest Lee Coleman, Sr. (Shaw, MS). Those left to honor her memory and cherish her legacy are her six children, Eltory Hawkins (Fall River, MA), Elroy Roberson, Jr. (Randolph, MA), Earnest Lee Coleman, Jr. (Fall River, MA), Nicole Kathleen Parks (Fall River, MA), Katrina Coleman (Fall River, MA) and Tamboura Omar Coleman (Boston, MA).

She also leaves behind her siblings, Mary Sue Middleton (Kansas City, MO) and Glory Jean Scott (Shaw, MS), grandchildren (31), great grandchildren, nieces (6) and nephews (3). She was predeceased by her daughter, Cheryl C. Coleman, nieces, Bernadette Hawkins, Mary Yvette Hawkins, and her brother, Andrew Hawkins, Jr.

Visitation hours will be held Thursday, April 25, from 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm, with a funeral service to follow at 2:30 pm at Auclair Funeral Home, 690 South Main Street, Fall River, MA.