Nancy Louise Coleman, 84 years old, of Rapid City, went to be with the Lord on April 19, 2026. She had chronic kidney disease and mitral stenosis and her body was unable to keep up. She passed away peacefully at Monument Hospital with her daughter and son-in-law by her side.

Nancy was born in Sioux Falls, SD to Marlin and Louise (Wagner) Letner on October 18, 1941. She was the second oldest. The family moved to Rapid City in 1945 and started a business called Western Stationers. She attended Catholic schools in Rapid City until she graduated. She then went on to attend college, only to follow her brother Bob at Georgetown University in Washington, DC and then The College of St. Therese in Winona, MN where she received her bachelor's degree in Economics with a minor in Accounting. She went on to work in New York City in the Empire State Building. She then moved back to Rapid City to be close to family. She had also worked at the family business, Western Stationers for over 15 years within two-time frames. Upon moving back to Rapid City, she met Al Patterson who was stationed at Ellsworth AFB in the Air Force while driving through the local McDonald’s multiple times. The two married in June, 1965. They would have three children, Mark Alan, William Todd and Tracy Louise. They lived in Rapid City for a short time and then moved to Winston Salem, NC where Al was from. After their divorce, Nancy moved back to Rapid City in 1978 with her 3 children. She then worked at the family business until July, 1991 and remarried only to leave again and move to Scappoose, OR and then to Camarillo, CA. Her second husband passed away in September, 1999 and she came back to Rapid City to be close to her daughter and son-in-law, as well as her family members that still lived here. She began her job at Dakota Laser Tech working with a group of amazing special needs individuals that recycled and made ink cartridges. She was the receptionist in the main office. In 2000, she put an ad in the paper and met the most incredible human being, Clifford Coleman. The two were joined in marriage in February, 2001 for 22 years up until his death on August 6, 2023. Her life was complete the day she met him. After Clifford passed away, Nancy felt a huge void. She spent a great deal of time with her only grandchild, Carson as well as her daughter and son-in-law. She had weekly Wednesday lunches with her sister Sally that meant so much to her. Nancy would enjoy watching sports with Scott and Tracy and joining them for supper nightly at their house. She forever claimed that she could be a Duke and Tarheel fan in unison. Nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her grandson, Carson taking photos when driving up in the hills, singing in the car and making up funny words...only to laugh together the entire time. She always supported his photography dreams. As her health began to worsen, she moved in with her daughter, Tracy and son-in-law Scott. Some of her best days of her life transpired within those last couple of months as she was attending an adult daycare and enjoyed every day that she spent at Black Hills Center for Aging. She also enjoyed the time she got to spend with Sandra and Rich Olson, two very special people in her life. She was grateful for their son, Scott and all he did to caretake for her; she referred to him frequently as “her buddy.” Nancy continued to have a sense of humor, dressed to the nines every day and told people how much she enjoyed dancing! She never wavered on her Catholic faith and knew God would hold her close until the end.

She is survived by her first spouse, Al Patterson, two children, Mark Patterson and Tracy Olson (Scott), Carson Olson, her grandson, her brother, Tom (Kathy) Letner, her sister, Sally Palmer, another sister by choice, Betty Letner, many Palmer and Letner nieces and nephews, Ronnie Patterson, her special brother-in-law and his daughters, Robin and Lori.

She is proceeded in death by her parents, Marlin and Louise Letner, her brother, Robert Letner, Erin Olson, her granddaughter, her son, Todd Patterson, her husband, Clifford George Coleman, another very special sister-in-law, Linda Patterson, a very dear friend, Tootsie and a brother-in-law that she loved dearly, Dan Palmer, all of whom she can now share a new address with in heaven.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Condolences can be sent to her daughter’s home address and/or left with Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home.