Iris Luella Coleman-HodgesCamarillo, CAOn Saturday December 17, our mother finished a long well lived journey through life to be with the Lord. She passed peacefully at home with family and friends by her side.Iris was born on August 11, 1924 in Sheridan, Wyoming to George and Barbara Shaffner. Iris had 3 brothers, George Jr, Douglas, and Jim. Iris grew up in Minnesota and also lived in Nebraska, Washington and California. In 1944, Iris at the age of 20 joined the United States Marine Corp and rose to the rank of Sergeant; she was always proud that she was a Marine. Iris returned to Ventura where she met James Moore (Mo) Coleman. They married in Las Vegas on June 14, 1947 when she was 22 years old. James and Iris moved to Oak View, Ca and raised 5 children William (Bill), Robert (Bob), James (Patrick), Karen, and Timothy. Iris worked for the Ventura Unified School District as a "Lunch Lady". Iris was a very talented lady, making beautiful wedding cakes for friends and family and specialty dresses for various occasions. Iris was a well known Avon Lady for 30 years, receiving various awards for sales. Later in her life, she became a bus driver for Ventura Head Start. After James Coleman died in 1984, Mom began traveling, going on a bus tour to Alaska with her brother George and a cruise to Hawaii with her mother. While training to drive a bus for Ventura Head Start, she met Marvin Orr Hodges whom she married on March 23, 1991. Mom and Moe traveled often going on cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and, Iris' favorite, the Panama Canal. Iris also traveled to Washington D.C. for the dedication of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. Mom was a member of American Legion (where she was a past Commander), Women Marines, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Iris was preceded in death by James Moore Coleman, Marvin Orr Hodges, sons William and Timothy Coleman, parents George and Barbara Shaffner, brothers George and Doug Shaffner, step-daughters Brenda Ruckers and Shirley Blackburn, and great-grandson Gabriel Zane Flores. Iris is survived by her children, sons Robert (Bob) and James (Pat) Coleman of Camarillo, daughter and son-in-law Karen and Jamie Lagos of Oak View, brother and sister-in-law, James and Janice Shaffner of Houston, Texas. Iris also had 14 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren who were all so fortunate to know their "GG".Viewing will be on January 2, 2017 from 3pm to 6 pm at JOSEPH REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main St, Ventura 93001. Services will be held at 11am, January 3, 2017 at the First Church of the Nazarene on corner of Seaward Ave and Ocean Ave in Ventura.Our family would like to express our special thanks to Charisse Miguel and Mary Pina for the excellent care they provided Mom over the past year and to Buena Vista Hospice and nurses Shady and Tanya for the care and comfort they gave to Mom and our family.
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