Lilymae L Coleman

Lilymae {Liz} Keeler Coleman

February 11, 1935 - June 3, 2026

Liz “Sweetie” Coleman, age 91 of Omaha, NE passed away on June 3rd, 2026 at The Heritage at Legacy Assisted Living in Omaha.Born in Brooklyn, New York on February 11th, 1935, Lilymae was the first of five daughters (Dorothy, Madeline, Janet, and Cathy-Jo) born to Warren and Thelma Keeler, who preceded her in death, along with her youngest sister Cathy-Jo, and her former husband Dick, the father of her children.Her family, lifelong friends & even teachers all called her 'Sweetie', a nickname from early childhood that reflected exactly who she was. Her kindness was genuine, compassionate, and constant. She had a remarkable gift for making people feel welcome and deeply loved, a trait she attributed to her dear mom and also to spending her childhood summers in NYC with her Aunt Matt and her grandparents. She was a voracious reader, stemming from her grandfather teaching her to read the New York Times at the age of five. This naturally led to an amazing vocabulary and her ability to complete any NYTimes crossword puzzle in record time.

Sweetie expressed her love for others through the simple joys that brought meaning to her own life. She loved to travel, and the memories she made along the way with the people she loved most were among her greatest treasures. Some of her most talked-about adventures were Christmas in New York City, Disney World, Camp Snoopy, and countless trips to spend time with family in New York and Carolina - her Classy Lady sidekick (a fancy, glasses-wearin' stuffed giraffe) always riding shotgun. She also cherished visits to Vermont for the fall foliage with her mom, a trip to Zermatt, Switzerland with her Swiss friend Irma, an Alaskan cruise, a journey to England to explore her heritage, countless travels with her beloved friends Kay & Gil, and cross-country road trips with her dear friend Joan!

She loved cooking, especially as a way to gather people together and took great joy in passing down recipes shared by her mother and grandmother. She was especially known for her rigatoni, her cheesecake, rugelach, and the many appetizers she served while cruising Smith Mountain Lake on her boat, the Sweetie K. Even her gardens reflected her nurturing spirit, as she tended them with care and generously shared their beauty with friends, family, and neighbors. Above all, her greatest joy was being a devoted mother, Nana, and aunt. She was immensely proud of her children Kelly and Mike, daughter-in-law Jeannette, grandchildren Jeremy, Jenny, Kenzie and Brooks, and her niece, Kristi-Jo. She quietly shaped the lives of those she loved and never missed an opportunity to be with them. Nana would happily drive hours to babysit grandkids. She'd dress up for Halloween to their delight. She road-tripped to the Iowa State Fair with them! She was a fixture in the stands at all the activities and sporting events. Her smile, laughter, and pure joy in simply being present lit up every gym, rink and field. Liz dedicated her working life to serving others. She began working afternoons and weekends as a telephone operator at the age of 14 to help support her family and to make it possible for them to have a home telephone of their own. After graduating from Middletown High School in 1952, she began her career as an Administrative Assistant for Metropolitan Life and then New York Central Railroad, helping put her husband Dick through anesthesia school. She later worked for Pontiac Motors in Michigan, Pekin Community Bank in Illinois, KHAS-TV Station in Hastings and E.F. Hutton & Dean Witter in Kearney. She was hand-picked by her boss at Pekin Community Bank to work directly with President Nixon and his staff on the dedication of the cornerstone for the new U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen Center at the Pekin Public Library and then again 2 years later with President Ford for his dedication upon its completion.

She was delighted to be a Brownie & Girl Scout Leader; to fundraise for high school band trips; and to volunteer at the Good Samaritan Hospital Gift Shop in Kearney. Liz also gave generously of her time to the annual Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour in which her beautiful home was featured.Retirement certainly kept Nana on the go. Forever a passionate supporter of Boys Town, she worked as a Tour Guide in the Hall of History Museum for over 10 years, where she made dear friends and was honored as Volunteer of the Year. She also was an usher at The Rose Children's Theatre & the Omaha Community Playhouse, which fit in with her love of Broadway in NYC. A big fan of going to the movies, she rarely missed her weekly 'dinner & a movie' group, and also enjoyed being part of the Prime-Timers Club of St. Wenceslaus and their Tai-Chi Club!Her family and friends will forever miss the warmth of her smile, the comfort of her presence, and the love she shared so freely. Simply put, our hearts are broken. Though in a way we have been saying goodbye for some time, we are grateful that she is now at peace and able to rest. We take comfort in the thought of the heavenly reunions awaiting her. Blessed for having shared her life are her daughter Kelly Rath of Winston-Salem, NC; her son Michael (Jeannette) Coleman of Omaha, NE; four grandchildren: Jeremy (Carrie) Rath of Clemmons, NC; Jennifer Rath of Winston-Salem, NC; Mackenzie (Brad Heldt) of Denver, CO; Brooks (Mallory) Coleman of Omaha; ten great-grandchildren; her sisters Dottie Price of NY, Madeline Kozireski of FL, Janet Mahoney of MO, and many nieces & nephews.

A Celebration of Life Mass will be held at Resurrection Roman Catholic Church in Moneta, Virginia in late summer, with a memorial Mass in Omaha to follow.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home (Boys Town):

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