Donald Cole

Don passed away at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll on January 27, 2018. He lived his life to the age of 79 years, 2 months and 12 days.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Churdan with Rev. David Arulnathan officiating. Burial was made in the Highland Township Cemetery in Churdan. Musical selections “Blessed Assurance” and “Amazing Grace” were sung by the congregation. Greg Carey was soloist and Lori Anderson was organist. Serving as casket bearers were Ryan Cole, Aaron Cole, Kory Cole, Brent Weiner, Justin Adams and Shane Custer. Honorary bearers were Johnny and Beth Shoemaker, Charles and Jan Paup, Keith and Rhetta Wright, Eric and Nicole Flinn, Joyce Clark, Kathryn Carey, Ruth Nugent, Rita Schmitt, Barbara Winkelman, Victoria Arulnathan, Lance and Shannon Arnold, Mike and Kelly Glascock, John Hunt, Don and Cheri Ferguson, Ray and Diane Briscoe, Terry Hendricks, Bill and Mary Kibby and Melinda Scott.

Donald Cole, the son of Gilbert and Faye (Bowles) Cole, was born November 15, 1938 in Lohrville, Iowa. Don grew up in Lohrville on a farm helping with the chores and field work. He graduated from Lohrville High School in 1957, later attended college and then worked at the Lohrville Bank.

On May 28, 1960, Don married Harriett Wilson at the United Methodist Church in Lake City. On the night of their marriage, Harriett and Don left to go to Santa Ana, California where Don had a job in a bank. Don and Harriett were blessed in their marriage with two children, Scott and Terri.

Don served the Lord since 1967. He belonged to the United Foursquare Church in California. With Don, going to church on Sunday was not an option but a must. He loved to do crossword puzzles, work in his yard and travel throughout California, Alaska and Hawaii. Don was outgoing and never met a stranger.

In 1976, Don and Harriett bought a flower shop and they worked side by side in the shop. Due to Harriett’s health issues from  polio at the age of eleven, she retired in 1996 and Don ran the shop and lovingly cared for his wife for 21 years.

In 2003, they made what they considered their best decision, moving back to Iowa. Churdan was the town they picked to make their home for the best, last fourteen years. In their eyes, the people of Churdan and Lohrville were the greatest. Don and Harriett joined the Churdan United Methodist Church and Don served on the church council, ushered, Lay Leader and ministered to the sick in the community. Harriett passed away in May of 2017.

Don is survived by two daughters; Terri Cole and Dana Browne, both of Irvine, California; brothers: Dick (Cindy) Cole of Jewell, Tim (Denise) Cole of Spirit Lake and Tom (Sharon) Cole of Cortez, Colo.; brothers-in-law, Gary (Janice) Wilson of Oklahoma and David (Jo) Wilson of Denver, Colo.; and an aunt, Vera Melrose of Holden, Missouri. Those who preceded him in death were his parents; wife; son, Scott; a sister and brother-in-law, Josette and Kenny Custer; brother, Terry and sister-in-law, Sharon Wilson.

Assisting the family was the Brown Funeral Home, Churdan.