WILLIAM CHAD COLEMAN

EUNICE~It is with heavy hearts that the family of William Chad Coleman announces his passing on Sunday, September 16, 2018 at The Carpenter House in Lafayette at the age of 46. Chad battled tirelessly against the ALS disease (Lou Gehrig disease) for the past 2 years which has now taken his life. A Mass of Christian Burial was Celebrated at 10:30 am on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Eunice. Rite of Committal followed in the St. Paul Cemetery with Msgr. Robert Romero Celebrant.
William Chad Coleman was born Marrero and raised in Eunice, and attended both St Edmund Catholic School, and Eunice High before graduating from St. Edmund High School in 1990. He attended college at LSU-Eunice and at USL in Lafayette, before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1994.
William Chad Coleman served his country while in the Navy from 1994-2000. He was one of the last classes to complete basic training in Orlando, FL. As a new graduate he went on to complete Nuclear Field “A” School (NFAS) in 1995 while in Orlando and then transferred to complete Nuclear Power School (NPS) in 1995 in Goose Creek, SC where he spent time training on the USS Daniel Webster (MTS 626) which is a Lafayette Class Ballistic Nuclear Submarine.
Chad was then transferred and assigned to the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) based in Bremerton, WA in 1996, where he worked in the nuclear reactor department as a “3389 Surface Ship Nuclear Propulsion Plant Operator – Special Category” shipman. The USS Nimitz is the Navy’s oldest and finest aircraft carrier and one of the largest warships in the world. Chad served aboard the USS Nimitz while on its around-the-world cruise from Bremerton, WA (West Coast) to Newport News, VA (East Coast). During that around-the-world cruise Chad saw active wartime duty aboard the USS Nimitz during Operation Southern Watch in the Arabian Gulf during the Persian Gulf War effort.
Chad received the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Navy Unit Commendation Award before being honorably discharged in 2000.
Chad then went on to complete his EMT certification followed by working in the oil and gas industry along with working as a Sergeant of Security at a Corrections Institution.
Chad was a loving father, brother, and friend and will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved him. He is survived by his two sons, Jackson Walker and Orrin Luke Coleman of Spring, TX; one brother, Matthew George Coleman of Eunice; his nieces and nephews, Kadyn Alyse Grayson, Johna Margaret, Easten Matthew and Sabey Hope Coleman; Matthew, Allyson, and Lainey Fontenot; and Andrew Lynch as well as his extended family and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, George “Frog” Franklin Coleman and Margaret Ann Fontenot Coleman.
At the request of the family, visitation was held at Ardoin’s Funeral Home in Eunice on Tuesday, September 18th from 12 noon until 10:00 p.m. and again on Wednesday, September 19th from 8:00 a.m. until time of services. Deacon Gary Gaudin lead a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Memorial donations may be made to the ALS Association, Louisiana-Mississippi Chapter, 11725 Industriplex Blvd., Suite 3, Baton Rouge, LA 70809-5190.
Family and friends may view this obituary and sign the guestbook at www.ardoinfuneralhomes.com
Ardoin’s Funeral Home of Eunice was in charge of arrangements.