Herschel Coleson Sr.

Herschel Dean Coleson Sr., 67, formerly of Jerseyville and Grafton, Illinois, passed away at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, at Alton Memorial Hospital, in Alton, Illinois, following an extended illness.

He was born May 31, 1948, in Olive Branch, Illinois, the son of the late Lloyd and Ruby Bell Harp Coleson. He married Wendy K. Jones on June 10, 1967, in St. Louis, and she survives.

A U.S. Army veteran, he had been employed as a department-store assistant manager and was a customer service clerk for Money Time Check Cashers and Pawn in Cape Girardeau. He owned and operated The Tackle Box in Olive Branch. For many years he was a licensed minister with the Assemblies of God, during which time he helped with youth, children's and nursing home ministries.

A member of Trinity Assembly of God Church in Olive Branch, he also became a member of the Grafton Full Gospel Church, where he had attended for the past four years since relocating to Jersey County. He attended the First Assembly of God Church in East Alton, Illinois, since moving to Alton last February.

Other survivors include four sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth Dean and Rachel Coleson of Shipman, Illinois, Kevin Dale and Suzanne Coleson of Wood River, Illinois, Keith Duane and Beth Coleson of Midlothian, Virginia, and Herschel "Dean" and Pamela Coleson Jr. of East Alton; one brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Kay Coleson of Cape Girardeau; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Marian Sams, Sharon and Harold Foster of Olive Branch and Judy and Gerald Perkins of Baxter, Tennessee; nine grandchildren, Brian Coleson of St. Charles, Missouri, Lindsey Coleson and Henry Roe of Godfrey, Illinois, Ashleigh Coleson of Wood River, Andrew Coleson of Anna, Illinois, Jeffery Coleson and Joseph Coleson of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, and Blake Coleson, Jordyn Coleson and Davis Lloyd Coleson of Midlothian; and three great-grandchildren, Henry Franklin "Franko" Roe IV, Gracyn Sophia Roe and Lincoln Vann Roe of Godfrey.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six brothers, Floyd "Sonny," Harry Emerson, Billy Joe, Richard, LeRoy and James.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Pitchford Funeral Home in Wood River.

The funeral services will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. The Revs. Melvin Naylor, Tim Naylor and Tim Keller will officiate. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.

Memorials are suggested to House of Victory Church in Cottage Hills or to Grafton Full Gospel Church in Grafton.

Online guest book available at www.pitchfordfuneralhome.com.