Eleanor Coleman

Eleanor Coleman

Eleanor Coleman, from a 1924 publication
Personal information
Born	(1905-03-10)March 10, 1905 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	October 2, 1978(1978-10-02) (aged 73) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
Spouse	LaVern Dilweg ​ ​ (m. 1927; died 1968)​
Children	4, including Gary
Relatives	Anthony Dilweg (grandson)
Sport
Sport	Swimming

Eleanor Coleman (March 10, 1905 – October 2, 1978) was an American swimmer.^[1]

Coleman was born in Chicago and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,^[2] the daughter of Charles Lemuel Coleman and Nellie May Emerson Coleman. Both of her parents were born in Illinois; her father was a traveling salesman.^[3]

Coleman broke the world record in 1922 in the 100 yd breaststroke and competed in the women's 200 metre breaststroke event at the 1924 Summer Olympics.^[4] For three years she held a world's record in the women's breaststroke.^[5][6][7] Later in life, she gave swimming demonstrations,^[8] and was a Red Cross examiner for lifesaving.^[9] Beyond the pool, she was a sports writer and editor at the Wisconsin News.^[10] She also had a newspaper column and hosted a weekly radio show, both on women's health and fitness.^[11][12] She was appointed promotional chair for the American Red Cross in Brown County in 1939.^[13]

In 1927, she married Marquette University and Green Bay Packers football player, and later Congressman, LaVern Dilweg.^[1][14] The Dilwegs had four children. Her husband died in 1968,^[15] and she died in 1978, aged 73 years, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.^[16][17] Her son Gary Dilweg served in the Wisconsin state legislature. Her grandson Anthony Dilweg played football at Duke University, and later with the Green Bay Packers.^[10]

• Eleanor Coleman at Olympedia