Coleman, John Franklin Memorial Scholarship in Chemistry
John Franklin Coleman was born in the North Hill neighborhood of Akron, the younger of two sons of a Firestone rubber worker and former schoolteacher. Orphaned at the age of 14, Dr. Coleman managed to attain the Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts of America, graduate valedictorian from North High School, and obtain a full scholarship from the Akron Rubber Group in polymer studies to The University of Akron. At the University, he joined the chemical honorary fraternity, Alpha Chi Sigma, and was in the Air Force ROTC program. In 1960, he received the Chemistry Achievement Award from the Akron Section of The American Chemical Society and graduated with distinction from the University, earning a major in organic and a minor in inorganic chemistry. After graduation, Dr. Coleman was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force in June 1961 and received a teaching graduate fellowship from The National Institutes of Health at The University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, where he obtained a master's degree in 1963 and Ph.D. in 1966. Dr. Coleman returned to the Air Force, serving in research at the Wright Air Development Center for the Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Dr. Coleman’s professional career continued at BFGoodrich Company, where he quickly succeeded as a manager. Having excellent people skills, he managed a group of 20 professional scientists, engineers, and technicians engaged in the research and development of new monomers and polymers. Here, Dr. Coleman invented for Goodrich the adhesive product, Telene. Dr. Coleman’s accomplishments include the publication of seven papers, five invited presentations, 35 internal research reports, and listings in "Who’s Who in the Midwest," "Community Leaders of America," "Who’s Who in Technology Today," and "American Men and Women in Science." After 17 years at Goodrich, Dr. Coleman became a general manager of the Catalyst Systems Division and Director of Technology at U.S. Chemical and Plastics Company Inc. At the time of his death in 1992, at the age of 52, he was returned to research as Senior Chemist for Mameco International Inc., an RPM Company, working with various products, including rust additives.
Dr. Coleman was married to Cynthia Louise Maglione (‘60) whom he met at The University of Akron and the father of three children, Regina A. Milan (’87), Victoria L. Ellinger (’89), and John Anthony Coleman, who attends Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Coleman was a gentleman and a family man, a people-person honored for his intelligence, creativity, organization skills, and above all well respected for his worth. He was a good man and will always be sorely missed by his family and friends. He will be remembered through The John Franklin Coleman Memorial Scholarship in Chemistry.
The John Franklin Coleman Memorial Scholarship in Chemistry was established m 1999 by Dr. Lester E. and Kathleen A. Coleman in remembrance of Dr. John F. Coleman's life. Recipients of The John Coleman Memorial Scholarship will be selected by The University of Akron Scholarship Committee from recommendations provided by the Department of Chemistry. Additional contributions to the fund are welcome.
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