Harriett Cole

Harriett Cole passed away at her home in Churdan on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. She lived her life to the age of 76 years, 6 months and 21 days.

Funeral services were held Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at 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 “In the Garden” were played by organist, Janice Tilley. Serving as casket bearers were Dick Cole, Tim Cole, Tom Cole, Ray Brisco, Allen Parks and Bill Hubbs. 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 and Victoria Arulnathan.

On October 11, 1940, a daughter was born to Paul and Aloha (Briggs) Wilson at their home in Millard, Iowa and they named her Harriett Ann Wilson. When Harriett was 11 years of age, she contracted polio which affected her lungs and legs. She spent 18 months in hospitals and was one day away from having to go into an iron lung when she started to recover. Harriett grew up in the Yetter and Lake City area and graduated from Lake City High School in 1959. She then attended and graduated from A.I.B. in Des Moines in May of 1960.

On May 28, 1960, Harriett Wilson was marred to Don Cole at 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 at a bank. They were blessed in their marriage with two children, Scott and Terri. Harriett was a great housewife and was a babysitter of four little ones.

Harriett served the Lord since 1965. She taught Sunday school and belonged to the United Foursquare Women’s Organization at her church in California. With Harriett, going to church on Sunday was not an option but a must. She loved to do crossword puzzles, crochet baby sweaters and booties and to read. Raising her two children, Scott and Terri, was her top priority.

In 1976, Don and Harriett bought a flower shop where they worked side by side until 1996 when Harriett’s health started to take a toll on her. In 2003, they made what they considered their best decision, to move 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 are the greatest. Don and Harriett joined the Churdan United Methodist Church and Harriett was a member of the U.M.W.

Harriett is survived by her husband, Don; two daughters, Terri Cole and Dana Browne, both of Irwin, California; brothers, Gary (Janice) Wilson of Oklahoma and David (Jo) Wilson of Denver, Colorado; an aunt, Vera Melrose of Holden, Missouri; and brothers-in-laws: Dick (Cindy) Cole, Tim (Denise) Cole and Tom (Sharon) Cole. Those who preceded her in death were her parents; her son, Scott; a sister, Sharon Wilson; and sister-in-law, Josette (Kenny) Custer.

Assisting the family was the Brown Funeral Home, Churdan.