Faustine "Tina" Coleman

Faustine “Tina” Coleman 9/14/1948-2/6/2021 “Tina” as she was affectionately known was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 14, 1948 to Carl Coleman and Annie Ruth Christmas. Tina grew up in St. Albans, New York with her parents, her older brother Carl and younger sister Malinda. Tina was an excellent student and was one of a few kids who were bused out of St. Albans as part of desegregating the schools. Those who knew Tina knew of her civil rights activism in the 1960’s and 1980’s. She worked at Waldbaum’s supermarket at the age of 14 and was able to save enough money to purchase a new royal blue with white pinstripes across the nose, 1968 Chevy Camaro Rally Sport with hideaway head lights at the age of 17 which rumor had it she used to race up and down Merrick Blvd in Jamaica Queens. This car is not only a classic but a highly coveted vehicle, now and then. At the tender age of 16, she met her husband Donald Hobson, they married and Tina had her first child Tanya while still a teenager. She went to night school and obtained her GED. During that time, she sang doo wop with Donald and her best friends Bobbie and Dianne. Tina was divorced by 19 and moved to Atlanta, Georgia where Tina gave birth to Nisha. Tina worked at a number of jobs to support her 2 daughters. She eventually moved back to New York where she remained until her daughters went to college. Tina always wanted to continue her education and obtained a Hemodialysis Technician certification. However, still wanting to learn more, she then obtained her bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science. Let Tina tell it, she also obtained a law degree with her daughter Tanya due to the many hours she helped Tanya during law school with her studies. She worked for many years in administration at Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital where she retired in 2006. Tina eventually moved to North Carolina to care for her mother and then moved to Bel Air, Maryland where she made it her final destination. She was an avid reader and prolific writer. She was fond of Robert Frost and quoted many of his poems verbatim. She obtained several awards for her writing skills. She was working on a memoir when she passed away. The following is an excerpt from her writings: “If we are lucky, we get to make it to the magical number of 65. Going into our senior years is when it’s time to eliminate the negatives and enjoy the positive features of our lives. At what point in our life do we pause and try to figure if we are doing it right? Should we laugh at what we did right or cry at what we did wrong. I say we should do both.” Tina found her daughters and grandchildren to be her greatest accomplishments and legacy. She founded a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of senior citizens (Annie’s Basket of Wishes) which was named after her mother Annie. Tina was the cool mom. Tanya and Nisha’s friends formed their own friendship with Tina. Thus, Tina’s friends were those she had from childhood plus the dozens of friends that were her daughters’ friends. She leaves behind her two daughters, Tanya Hobson-Williams (Rick Williams), Nisha Smithrick (Craig Smithrick), Grandchildren, Jaida, Jae-Len and Craig (CJ), her sister Malinda Champs and nephew Michael Coleman. Tina has bonus daughters Sophia Ponquinette, Tinaka Hobson and Gail Hobson and 6 bonus sons. Tina is preceded in death by her mother Annie Ruth Coleman her father Carl Coleman and brother Carl Roland Coleman, Jr. “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep” -Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” Our hearts are broken. We miss and love you mommy!

Tributes

Faustine "Tina" Coleman

September 4, 1948 - February 6, 2021