Mildred “Arlean” Coles – Anderson was born April 12, 1948 in Louisa, Virginia to the parents of the late William Alfred and Pauline Beatrice Coles. God called her home Sunday, April 17, 2022, Easter Sunday morning at St Mary’s Hospital, Richmond, Virginia. Beside her parents, she was preceded in death by her devoted loving husband of twenty-nine years, Warren “Blue” L. Anderson; four siblings: two brothers, Paul Coles and Samuel Winston; three sisters, Marian Harris, Esther Johnson; and her foster sister and Godmother, Sarah Thaniel.

Arlean attended Louisa County Public Schools and graduated from A.G. Richardson High School in 1967. After graduating from high school she worked several jobs: Louisa Manufacturing, IT for Best Products, VCU and Magellan First Health where she retired. She was also a member of the A. G. Richardson Alumni Committee for several years.

She was baptized at an early age at Mt. Olivet Baptist church and was an active member. She was the church clerk for over thirty-eight years; a member of the Robertson Memorial Choir and the Directress for over fifty years; a member of the following Ministries – Missionary Circle, Missionary Choir, Senior Choir, Board of Christian Education, the Hospitality Committee and was a Sunday School devotional leader. Her favorite Scripture was Psalms 23.

Arlean loved music, whether it was reading, writing, playing, singing, or directing. She could always keep anyone on the correct key. Arlean was the youngest of the Coles Sisters, a family group formed with their mother over fifty years ago. Her favorite song with the Coles Sister was “Have Faith”. Her license plate read “HVE FATH”. She believed that it was FAITH that carried them from place to place over forty years. Her prayer was “Keep the Faith and give GOD the Praise until HE says, “Well Done”. The family later formed the ABC (Alfred, Beatrice Coles) Choir which she directed.

Arlean leaves to cherish her memories, three sons: Dennis Coles (Yvette), Darren Coles (Zeta) and Markeith Tillman; five grandchildren: Dennis, Lauren, Patrick, Paul, and Taliah; sixteen great grandchildren; two sisters: Joyce Coles Holt and Shirley Johnson; three foster sisters: Florence Trice, Venus Wingfield, and Mary Holman; Goddaughter, Jennifer Johnson; eight nieces; nine nephews; a host of other relatives and friends, one devoted, Marian Jackson.