Obituaries

Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Carol Smith Morgan of Great Falls; two children from his second marriage, Melinda O'Mealia of Rumson, N.J., and Melanie Brose of Fairfax Station; two stepchildren, Carol Strawson of Bala Cynwyd, Pa., and Stanton "Bo" Strawson III of Martinsburg, W.Va.; and seven grandchildren.

George J. ColemanNavy Commander, Vitro Official

George James Coleman, 87, a retired Navy commander who worked from 1962 to 1984 for defense contractor Vitro Laboratories in Montgomery County, died Dec. 25 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a heart attack.

Cmdr. Coleman, an Annapolis resident, was a native of Birmingham and a mechanical engineering graduate of what is now Auburn University in Alabama.

He served in the Navy from 1940 to 1962 and was primarily an aviator. During World War II, he participated in the Guadalcanal campaign in the Pacific and later was in the Atlantic.

During the Korean conflict, he was operations officer on the seaplane tender Kenneth Whiting, deployed to the Far East.

His final active-duty assignment was with the Air Force Intelligence Center.

At Vitro, he initially was an administrator and chief pilot for the Stratoscope II high-altitude balloon program. He later helped to vet proposals from potential subcontractors.

His military decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, three awards of the Air Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal with combat "V."

His memberships included Veterans of Foreign Wars and Pi Kappa Phi social fraternity.

Survivors include his wife, Geneva Little Coleman, whom he married in 1943, of Annapolis; four sons, James Michael Coleman and Richard C. Coleman, both of Alexandria, Robert B. Coleman of Lafayette, Calif., and George Steven Coleman of Severna Park; a brother; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Elsa D. ParsonsSchool Volunteer

Elsa D. Parsons, 80, who had spent the last four years as a volunteer at Deer Park and London Towne elementary schools in Centreville, died Dec. 22 of a heart attack at her home in Centreville.

She volunteered with other senior citizens at the schools, working in the media center and occasionally reading to the students. Mrs. Parsons was also a member of Centreville United Methodist Church.