Michael N. Coltman

Michael Neely Coltman, 74, of Reading, MA, died suddenly on August 4, while on a leisurely bicycle ride with his wife Judy in Tiverton, RI.

He was an engineer with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, MA, for 40 years, working on a variety of projects, many of which focused on railroads. He was noted among colleagues for tirelessly recruiting and mentoring younger engineers. Mike retired from the Volpe Center in 2018.

Long active in the Reading community, he volunteered often with Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouting, the Reading Food Pantry, the Reading Recreation Committee, and the Reading Board of Elections. He enjoyed a lifelong enthusiasm for sports, initially in track and field and surfing while in high school, later windsurfing, ultimate frisbee, and in recent years both ultimate and pickleball. Mike coached youth soccer, and in the last few years, he and his wife Judy worked to create an enthusiastic and sociable community of pickleball players in Reading. Mike also taught pickleball and recently shepherded, with Reading Pickleball Players Association, a proposal for more than a half-dozen new pickleball courts through the Select Board and the Town Meeting.

He was born March 29, 1951, in Hartford, CT, the second son of Edward Philip and Eleanor (Dwyer) Coltman, and was reared in Manchester, CT. He was graduated from East Catholic High School in Manchester in 1969, took a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Tufts College in 1973, and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, also at Tufts, in 1978.

On June 21, 1986, he married Judith Neely, also an engineer, with whom he reared two sons. The whole family enjoy complex board games and are active in sporting. Mike and Judy often enjoyed hiking or bicycling vacations, both in the U.S.A. and in Europe, as well as a variety of water sports on Cape Cod and in Florida.

He is survived by his wife, of Reading, MA; two sons, Edward N. (Ned) Coltman (wife Natascha (Bandle)) of Frankfurt, Germany, and Thomas N. Coltman (fiancée Elizaveta Khlestova) of Lowell, MA; a brother, Edward J. (Ted) Coltman (husband the late J. Wade Carey Jr.) of Washington, D.C.; a brother-in-law, Ben Neely (wife Mary) of Grafton, MA; four nieces, Angela (Thomas) White (husband Steven) of Manchester, CT, Faye Thomas of South Windsor, CT, Sherrin (Slay) Henegar of Woodbury, MN, and Helen Neely Bartkiewicz (husband Teddy) of Worcester, MA; and a nephew, James R. Slay of St. Mary’s, PA. His parents and two sisters, JoAna Hanna of Chouteau, OK, and Louise Thomas of Manchester, CT, predeceased him.

A gathering to celebrate Mike’s life is planned for Thursday, August 14th, from 5:30-7:30pm in Memorial Park, Reading, MA, all are welcome. Please dress for a picnic at the park. A reserved handicap drop-off area will be set across from 24 Charles Street. Otherwise, parking will be available as usual on Charles, Harrison, and in the lot off of Salem. Please consider carpooling, walking, or biking if possible.  

A Green Burial will be held separately for the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The Reading Food Pantry or the Friends of the Reading Public Library. To continue Mike’s spirit, please continue engaging and volunteering with your community.