The Eugene A. Coleman, Ph.D. Memorial Agronomy Scholarship Endowment was established by friends and family of Eugene Coleman in 2023. This scholarship is used to award scholarships to students majoring in agronomy in the Department of Plant and Soil Science in the Davis College.

Gene was born on May 5, 1935 in Stamford, TX. As the son of a farmer, Gene learned early the meaning of hard work and making the most of resources. His love for farming grew while in high school where he served as President of the FFA in 1953, his senior year at Stamford High School. The family moved to Amherst, TX in 1953 where he met a beautiful young lady, Glenda Blair. He joined the Army in 1954 and was stationed in Germany where he served as a radio operator. After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Army in 1956 Gene returned to West Texas to marry his first love, Glenda, on November 29, 1956.

Gene and Glenda began their family while he continued his formal education at Texas Tech University, serving as the Agronomy Club President and Crop Judging Team Captain. He graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. Their family continued to grow in Indiana where he completed his post graduate work. He graduated from Purdue University with a Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Physiology in 1964. He then moved back to Lubbock and taught at Texas Tech for 2 years before going into the fertilizer business with IMC in Richardson, TX. He returned to Texas Tech where he was a Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences from 1967-1974, serving as an Associate Dean of the Graduate School for his last 2 years on staff. Gene worked as Vice President of Sales and Development for Frit Industries in Ozark, AL and Walnut Ridge, AR from 1974-1984. While at Frit he was instrumental in inventing a sulfur manufacturing machine. In 1984, Gene became co-owner of A&L Labs in Memphis, TN. In 1985, he purchased A&L Plains Lab in Lubbock where he served as owner, President, and Agronomist until 2005, when he retired to farm full-time with his brother, Ron Coleman. Gene and Ron farmed together from 1992 until Ron's death in 2017. Gene retired from farming in 2019.

After the loss of Glenda in 1978 to cancer, Gene's family grew with marriage to Brenda Gould Coleman in 1979. After losing Brenda to cancer in 2005, the family grew again with his marriage to Beverly Buchanan Coleman in 2006. God, family, and country were always a priority in his life. He served as a Deacon in churches in Alabama and Texas for over 30 years, Gene was a man of deep faith. An accomplished man who enjoyed the simple things in life, spending time with family and friends and traveling. He was full of wisdom and loved sharing it with others every chance he got. Gene worked hard at everything he did from the time he was a boy; relaxing was not in his character. In retirement, he and Beverly traveled extensively to several countries and throughout the United States until Covid in 2020.

Gene was cherished by his family, respected by his peers, and loved by friends. He literally never met a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone he encountered. He had a curiosity and eagerness to learn as is evident by his enormous book collection. He instilled a love of numbers, knowledge, and education to his children from a young age. Gene recycled before it was politically correct, saying often, "Use it up, wear it out, make it last, or do without." The world was brighter with him in it and his light will continue through every life he touched while here. He was a loyal, caring, generous man who gave more than he took. Eugene passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, September 29, 2021.

Contact

Alex Yack
Alex.Yack@ttu.edu
Senior Director of Development
806.742.2802

Matt Williams
matt.williams@ttu.edu
Director of Development
806.742.2802

Shelbey Havens
shelbey.havens@ttu.edu
Assistant Director of Development
806.834.1108