COE, Donald Floyd

COE, SPILMAN, KRUGGEL, GRIFFIN, GERDES

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 6/15/2013 at 13:31:57

Donald Floyd Coe died Tuesday, March 29, 2005, at Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient
Unit, after an eight year battle with Melanoma. Memorial Service was held
Saturday, April 2, at the Ventura United Methodist Church, Ventura, Iowa with
Pastor Audrey Young officiating. Inurnment was at the Mt. Vernon Township
Cemetery, Burchinal, Iowa with Military Honors by the Clear Lake V.F.W.

Don was born July 7, 1943, at Mason City, Iowa, the son of Shirley A. Coe and
Elsie (Spilman) Coe. He lived in Lake Township until the age of three and then
moved to the family farm at Ventura. He attended school in Ventura for 13
years, graduating in 1961.

On Dec. 22, 1964, he married his high school sweetheart, Judy Kruggel. Don was
a veteran of the United States Air Force and Don and Judy were stationed in
Syracuse, N.Y., San Angelo, Texas and Sacramento, Calif. He was a Vietnam
veteran and in 1966 served a one-year tour of duty in Da Nang.

Following his military service Don attended the University of Northern Iowa,
graduating in 1972. He then moved back home to Ventura and worked for Everett
Peterson Construction for two years, building the family's current home on the
shore of the "Little Lake" in the process.

In 1975 Don started his teaching and coaching career in the Mason City School
system as a biology teacher at Mason City High School. He then taught on the
seventh grade team at Roosevelt Middle school, retiring in 2001. Don enjoyed
his position working for Ken Mortensen Construction from 2002 to the present.

He was a Coach of the Year for both varsity boys track and assistant varsity
wrestling in the Big 8 Conference. He also served as varsity boys cross
country coach and assistant sophomore football coach. He helped to originate
the annual Mohawk canoe trip to the Boundary Waters and for many years and was a
leader of Mason City Mohawk Backpackers on their mountain treks to Colorado and
Wyoming.

He enjoyed hunting with his German Shorthair dogs, Heidi and Gunner. He also
enjoyed fishing, canoeing, wilderness backpacking, sailing and golfing. On
Jan. 27 he realized a lifetime dream of playing the golf course at Pebble Beach,
Calif. with his friends.

In 1973 Don bought his first Hobie 16 sailboat and three months later won the
Division 7 Championship and a trip to the nationals at Key West, Fla. He would
go on to win the seven-state honor three more times, as well as many fleet
championships in the Clear Lake Yacht Club and other Midwest regattas. For two
years Don was the sailing school instructor for the yacht club and also
nurtured in his daughters and son-in-law an enjoyment for sailing.

He was an avid history buff and enjoyed reading about World War II, the Civil
War and the Indian Wars. He had a special interest in the Battle of the Little
Big Horn which culminated in a long awaited trip to Custer National Monument
where he toured all of the battle sights with Judy in 2003.

Don's greatest joy was his family, and he especially enjoyed passing on to his
daughters his love of the great outdoors. He took Megan and Mindy canoeing in
the Boundary Waters and backpacking in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains.
He had a great appreciation for all types of music and loved to play the
guitar. He was an accomplished artist favoring oil paintings, especially
wildlife.

He is a former member of the Ventura Gun Club, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants
Forever, Clear Lake Hobie Cat Fleet 10, Clear Lake Yacht Club, a member of the
Ventura Planning and Zoning Commission and past President of the Ventura
Booster Club.

Survivors include his wife, Judy, of Ventura; two daughters, Megan Coe of St.
Peter, Minn. and Mindy Griffin of Silverdale, Wash. and her husband, Jeff
Griffin, of Ventura; one brother, Gary Coe and wife, Ellen, of Severn, M.D.;
three sisters, Linda Woo and husband, Grant, of Fair Oaks, Calif., Diane
Elsbury, of Ventura and Elaine Aberg and husband, Jim, of Mason City. He is
also survived by his mother-in-law, Dorothy Gerdes, of Clear Lake; two
brothers-in-law, Kurt Kruggel and wife, Kelly of Burchinal, Iowa and Ron Gerdes
and wife, Sue Saunders, of St. Paul, Minn., as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and infant son, Michael D. Coe.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake. was in charge of arrangements.