OBITUARY: Gary D. Cole, 1942-2003, Mitchell County, Iowa Gary D. Cole [Mitchell County Press-News online - www.mcpress.com - Posted Feb. 19, 2003] Funeral services were held for Gary D. Cole, 60, Monday, February 17, 2003 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, IA with Rev. Wayne Ellingson and Intern Irmgard Ellingson officiating. Burial was in the Grafton Cemetery. He died at his home Thursday, February 13, 2003 at Plymouth. Gary was born September 21, 1942 to Floyd and Lydia (Borchardt) Cole and grew up on the family's farm near the towns of Plymouth and Grafton. He attended elementary school in Plymouth and graduated from Grafton High School in 1960. He attended U.S. Trade Schools in Kansas City, MO after graduating from high school. Gary joined and served in the Iowa Army National Guard during the early 1960's. He married Charlotte Marie Borchert on January 1, 1966 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton where they were both baptized and confirmed. They lived in Mason City before moving to his family's farm and their current home. During the beginning years of Gary's farming career he worked for David Manufacturing, American Crystal Sugar and Massey Ferguson in Mason City. He served on the Emmanuel Lutheran Church Board, St. Ansgar Community School Board and the North Iowa Co-op Elevator board of directors. Gary's life was filled with passions. He had a passion for agriculture and the importance of the independence of each sector of agriculture and farmers' contribution to our society. He had a great sense of national pride and patriotism and had a thirst for knowledge about current events at the world, national and local levels. He enjoyed activities such as NHRA drag races and shooting sports but his greatest passion was fishing. Gary loved being with his family and friends. Whether playing cards, doing activities or going on trips he always shared his practical jokes and good natured mischief. A close friend shared that "Gary had the unique ability to make acquaintances feel like friends and friends feel like family." He was preceded in death by his parents, his father and mother-in-law, two sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law. Gary's survivors include his wife Charlotte; his son Michael Cole and wife Nicole and their sons Mitchell and Ryan of Grafton; his daughter Michelle Hill and her husband Andy and their daughter Hannah of Manly; his brother Eugene Cole and his wife Mary Pat of Mason City; brother-in-law Stan Borchert and his wife Kathy of Marshfield, WI; sister-in-law Linda Patterson and her husband Virgil of St. Ansgar; nieces Candis (Cole) Feldt, Renae (Cole) Weghorst, Mackenzie Patterson and Kyli Borchert; nephews Kevin Cole, Nathan Borchert, Adam Borchert, Corey Patterson and Tom Gilles; extended family and uncounted friends and neighbors. Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar 641-713-4920 had charge of arrangements. Copyright (c) 2003 by Kermit Kittleson (Note: I am not necessarily related to the subject of the obituary.) This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. *************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ***************************************************************************