As Scioto County continues to mourn the loss of longtime Commissioner Cathy Coleman, Governor Mike DeWine has ordered flags to fly at half-staff in her honor. Coleman passed away on July 4th at SOMC Hospice, following a long and courageous battle with injuries sustained in a West Portsmouth car crash back in May.
In recognition of her life, service, and dedication to the community, Governor DeWine directed that U.S. and Ohio flags be lowered on all public buildings and grounds throughout Scioto County, as well as at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus. This tribute will remain in effect through sunset on the day of her funeral, July 11, 2025.
Other public buildings across the state are welcome to lower their flags in her memory during this period, though it is not mandatory.
Funeral Arrangements
Funeral services for Commissioner Coleman will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, July 11 at Nauvoo Methodist Church in West Portsmouth, with Pastor Pete Shaffer officiating. She will be laid to rest at Scioto Burial Park.
Friends and community members wishing to pay their respects can visit during calling hours from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday at the Roger W. Davis Funeral Home in West Portsmouth, and one hour prior to the funeral at the church on Friday.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Cathy’s name to SOMC Hospice or Nauvoo Methodist Church, two places close to her heart.
A Community in Grief
Cathy Coleman was more than a public official—she was a friend, a neighbor, and a true public servant who cared deeply about the people of Scioto County. Her passing has left a void not just in county government, but in the hearts of all who knew her.
Though her journey ended far too soon, the community she loved so dearly is coming together to honor her legacy—with prayers, with stories, and with flags flying low in quiet remembrance.
