Orville Cole (1920-2010)

COLE, NEREM, SMITH, PETERSON, OLSON

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 7/12/2010 at 23:13:43

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Friday, July 2, 2010.

Orville Cole, 90, of Forest City and formerly of Ames, died Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at Good Samaritan Society in Forest City. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 3, at Calvary Baptist Church in Forest City with Pastor Doug Farrell officiating. Burial will be in Madison Township Cemetery with military rites by the Forest City Veterans Ceremonial Unit.

Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.

Orville Cole, the son of George and Clara (Nerem) Cole, was born Jan. 20, 1920, near Roland. He was baptized and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church in Roland. He graduated from Roland High School in 1939 and worked on the family farm with his brother. He served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army from 1942 until his honorable discharge as staff sergeant in 1945. He served in the 90th Division, 358th Infantry, Company C, and took part in the battle and campaigns of Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland and central Europe. He received the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon with four Bronze Battle Stars, a Bronze Service Arrowhead, three overseas service bars, a service stripe, a Silver Star for bravery, Purple Heart medal with first and second Bronze Clusters and a Combat Infantry badge. He was wounded at Normandy, Moisell River and at the Belgium Bulge. Following his discharge, he returned home to farm until 1950 when he moved to Forest City. At the age of 33, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. On Feb. 1, 1954, he married Frances Smith at Calvary Baptist Church parsonage. For a short time, he operated a restaurant and worked for several farmers. Between 1958 and 1961, he worked for the Forest City Public Schools as custodian. Then the family moved to Ames where Orville was employed at the school system and post office. In 1973, they moved to a farm near Boone where he was instrumental in starting and building the Berean Baptist Church. He served faithfully as a deacon and in many other capacities. He retired from the post office in August 1983 as head of maintenance. In August 1991, he and Frances returned to Forest City and in 1993 moved to a farm east of town. Due to ill health, they moved to Ames in 2005.

He was a member of Heartland Baptist Church in Ames and Calvary Baptist Church in Forest City.

He is survived by his wife, Frances, of Ames; two sons, Craig Cole, of Overland Park, Kan., and David (Ruth) Cole, of Ames; two grandchildren, Jonathan and Hannah Cole; one sister-in-law, Jeanne Cole, of Mason City; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Mary Beth Cole; one daughter-in-law, Aviah Cole; two sisters, Abbie Peterson and Morna Olson; and four brothers, Arnold, Virgil, Ernie and George Cole.

Petersen Lund Funeral Home, www.petersen lundfh.com, is in charge of arrangements.

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