Howard J. Coman

Howard J. Coman, 85, passed away November 3, 2007 in El Paso. He was born in North Attleboro, MA, December 5, 1921, and raised in Brockton, MA where he graduated from high school in 1939. He had resided in El Paso the last 52 years. After serving over 20 years in the US Army, he retired as a Major having risen through the ranks from the grade of Private. During his service, he fought in the Aleutian Islands (1942-43) and Germany (1945). During the Aleutian campaign he served with the 206th Coastal Artillery and in Germany he was with the 97th Infantry Division (the Tridents). At the conclusion of WW II he served on General Patton’s staff in Berlin until he was returned home in September 1945. He also fought in Korea (1952-53), flying numerous missions over North Korea with the Air Force as an intelligence analyst. Later he served at the US Army Air Defense School for 15 years, as a civilian, working as a Nike radar/fire control system instructor and finally as the school’s student program analyst. He was married to Mary J. Odenbrett in 1943 when he returned from Alaska. They met and married after only 3 days. They were married for over 62 years before she passed away in 2005. They have 5 children and 49 grand/great grand children. He is survived by his sons Richard of El Paso and Rodger of Las Cruces, NM, and his daughters Karen Ruddock of El Paso, Gale Williams of Corpus Christi, TX and Tina Esman of Mesa, AZ. Visitation from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday, November 5, 2007 at Sunset Funeral Homes-Northeast. Graveside Service at 9:00 am, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Interment with full military honors at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Homes-Northeast. Please visit on-line register book at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net