Luman John Colton

LUMAN JOHN COLTON

Cedar Rapids

Luman John Colton, 100 years, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with public visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Cedar Memorial Mausoleum.

Born Jan. 2, 1922, in Genoa, Ill., he was the son of Luman Wesley and Myrtle (Pratt) Colton. He attended Cornell College until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He served as a clerical instructor and active-duty clerk-typist in Paris and London, and was discharged from the Army in May, 1946.

Luman married Ahlene Mae Hopkins on June 9, 1946. They had three children, Steven, Laura and Susan. Ahlene passed on after a prolonged respiratory illness in 1985. He was blessed to marry again, this time to Sharon Faye Bakker, a long-time family friend, on Feb. 7, 1988. They remained happily together until his death.

He served as a teacher and band master in Iowa public schools from 1946 to 1986. He taught all grade levels of students in three different cities and brought many students to all-state contests and bands. Luman spent 29 summers with the Cedar Rapids Municipal band playing multiple instruments as well as serving as the band librarian and on the board of directors.

In retirement he did piano tuning and some substitute teaching. He was the coordinator of the Cedar Rapids All-City Music Contest from 1988 to 1999, He continued to travel regularly, played tennis until his mid-70's and raised a huge garden every summer.

He was awarded the Iowa Bandmasters Association's Karl King Distinguished Service Award in 1984, and again as a retiree in 1998. In 2011, Luman was selected by the Honor Flight Network to fly to Washington, D.C. Luman's love for family and the music legacy he left will continue to inspire, encourage and reward all who were lucky enough to know him.

Luman was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marjorie of Wilmington, Del.; brother, Richard of Rockford, Ill.; and son, Steven of Marion, Iowa.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Faye, who cared for him at home until the day before his death; daughters, Laura Coppock of Raymond, N.H., and Susan Rivedal of Denver, Colo.; 16 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Donations in memoriam can be made to the Jefferson High School Band Program or Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Condolences may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.