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Mary Jeannette Lippert-Coleman

LIPPERT-COLEMAN

Mary Jeannette Lippert-Coleman, 71, of Mechanicsburg, passed away peacefully at her home on September 9, having been surrounded for many months by loving family, friends, and caregivers.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, Donald Coleman, of Lewisburg; and her parents, Rev. William and Joanna Lippert, of New Cumberland.

Mary is survived by her sons, Joseph Lynell Miller and wife Tonya, of Mechanicsburg, Andrew David Miller and wife Catherine, of Belmont, N.C.; and her step-daughters, Karen Coleman Dominick and husband Jeffrey, of Fairfax, Va., and Beth Coleman Gearhart, of Brunswick, Md.

Mary loved spending time with her seven grandchildren: Alysha Gearhart, Colin Dominick, Jaxon Lynell Miller, Harris Dayton Miller, and Georgia Rose Miller, of Mechanicsburg, and Evelyn Cate Miller and Marshall Jacob Miller, of Belmont, N.C.

Mary was loved by her three brothers: William Lippert Jr. and spouse Enrique Peredo Jr. of Hinesburg, Vt., Tim Lippert and wife Sue, of Portland, Maine, and Jonathan Lippert and husband Jeff Dressler, of Harrisburg. Her nephews and family include Jesse Lippert and wife Valerie and daughter, Charla, of Wiscasset, Maine, and Nat Anderson-Lippert and wife Maria, of Portland, Maine.

Mary led a creative life that filled the world around her with music. She earned a BS in Music Education from Lebanon Valley College with primary training in piano and violin. She began her public school teaching career in Lewistown; and, for 28 of her 31 years she taught in the Williamsport School District. She was instrumental in the development of the middle school music curriculum in the Williamsport schools. During her years of teaching, she also earned a Masters Degree in Education at Pennsylvania State University.

Since retirement in 1999, she worked as an instructor and supervisor of Music Education students at Susquehanna University. She is a past president of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. She taught privately since 1984 and had a piano studio in Lewisburg. In 2002, she began her training as a certified Suzuki Piano teacher. Following the sudden death of her husband in 2008, she relocated to Mechanicsburg in 2010 to be closer to her children and grandchildren, which is when she opened her home piano studio. Even after the onset of her recent illness, she continued to teach her piano students. Mary never stopped learning, and she was recently loving her jazz piano lessons.

Central Oak Heights, a Christian community and summer camp in West Milton, played an important role in Mary’s childhood, where she spent summers at the family cottage and attended summer camps. As an adult, Mary served as President of the COH Association, and in 2004 she and some of her dear friends developed COH summer music camps that they, according to Anne Lawrence, “envisioned affording elementary and middle school children the experience of the arts”. In 2017, COH dedicated the Lippert-Coleman Arts Center at the Schafer Building in honor of her many contributions to the arts at Central Oak Heights.

The family expresses their deep appreciation to her caregivers from Home Instead, who assisted Mary in her final months and filled her days and nights with devoted care.

A memorial service will be held on October 21, at the tabernacle at Central Oak Heights, West Milton, at 3:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be moved to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 S. Third St., Lewisburg.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to COHA Summer Music Camps – Scholarship Fund and sent to COHA Treasurer, c/o Phyllis Dyer, P.O. Box 75, Winfield, PA, 17889.

Submitted by family.