Robert T. "Tom" Coleman, an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, died in Washington, D.C., Monday, January 12, 1998.
He was 51.
Mr. Coleman was appointed an assistant United States attorney in the Criminal Division for the Southern District of Illinois by U.S. Attorney General William French Smith in 1982.
In 1994, he became senior litigation counsel.
He also served as the district's international and national security officer.
Mr. Coleman was commended by the director of the FBI and the director of the Illinois State Police for his involvement in the investigation and prosecution of, what were at the time, the largest marijuana conspiracy case ever brought in the United States.
That case resulted in over 150 convictions and forfeiture judgments in excess of $100 million.
As a result of his efforts, he received the International Narcotics Law Enforcement Award of Honor which was presented to him in Miami, Florida, in 1990.
Mr. Coleman received the city of Cairo's Award of Honor for his involvement and prosecution of numerous federal drug cases that arose out of the federal housing units in Cairo, Illinois.
He served as the coordinator of the Carbondale-Murphysboro Violent Crime Initiative for the past three years.
During his career he handled a wife variety of federal positions.
Before joining the U.S. Attorney office, he was the first assistant state's attorney for Williamson County from 1978 to 1982.
Prior to that appointment, he was in the private practice of law in Anna and Carbondale.He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association and the St. Clair County Bar Association.
He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church and a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Centralia.
Tom Coleman was born on October 3, 1946, in Carbondale, the son of Robert A. and Mary Hinkle Coleman.
He attended both elementary and high school in Anna graduating with the class of 1964, before going to college.
He received his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, from the University of Alabama in 1968.
He graduated from the University Of Kansas School Of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1971.
He is survived by his mother, Mary Coleman of Anna; his sister, Melinda Mancini of Howell , Michishcon; uncle and aunt Bon and Ferry Hartline of Anna; cousins Pat Hartline of Walnut Creek; California; Mary Alice Johnson of Anna, Martha Coleman of St. Louis; and his companion, Karen Davidson of Centralia.
Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 17, at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Anna.
Pastor Ed Evans will officiate.
Burial will be in Jonesboro Cemetery.Visitation will be fro, 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, January 16, at Hileman & Parr Funeral Services in Jonesboro.
Mr. Coleman will lie in state from 11 a.m. until the funeral hour Saturday.
Hileman & Parr Funeral Services in Jonesboro is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial can be made to the American Heart Association.