Colette Coman passed away on July 21, 2018 in The Allen Hospital, with her family by her side. She was born on May 18, 1928 in Bucharest, Romania, to the late Florica and Lazar Nast. She was a survivor of Nazi occupied Romania and the post World War II communist regime. She achieved high honors in the Lycee Francais in Bucharest and then pursued studies in Literature at the University of Bucharest. She then worked as a news reporter for a local TV station as well as for the Romanian Historical Institute. In 1963, she fled Romania along with her husband Alex and only child, Eugene. After a few months in Rome, they settled in Port Chester, New York for three years and then settled in Riverdale, where she resided for the past 50 years. In the United States, she received a Doctor of Letters degree from the City University of New York in the field of 18th century French Literature and published in this area as well. She worked as an instructor in the French Department at CUNY and created teaching materials that are used in the department to this day.

She is the beloved wife of Alexander Coman, who survives, for 61 years. She is the devoted mother of Eugene and adoring grandmother of Benjamin, Laurence, and Gregory, all of whom survive. A private funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 25th. Memorial donations may be made to the French institute Alliance Francaise, New York City in memory of Colette Coman.