Elmer Kester Cole (1877-1956)

COLE, KESTER, VENEMAN, LUNDGREN, MCLELLAN, WILLEMSEN, EDWARDS, KERSEY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal November 16, 1956 (page 6)

Former Story Countian Dies In Scranton Tuesday

SCRANTON-E. K. Cole, 79, retired A. B. Chance Co. employee who invented the Chance 8-way Expanding Anchor, died Tuesday evening, Oct. 23, at the Campbell Home. He had been ill for several months.

He joined Chance Co. in 1932 after the local company purchased the Wej-Lock Company of Winterset, Ia., of which he was president. He spent several years helping in the engineering development of the Chance anchor line before his retirement in 1940.

Cole designed the 8-Way Anchor after he retired. The new anchor which required less steel and assembly time and provided greater holding power than previous expanding anchors, was placed on the market in 1948. It has been a major factor in maintaining Chance Company's position as the leading producer of earth anchors.

Son of John S. W. and Florilla Kester Cole, he was born in Madison county, Iowa, on May 10, 1877. He was married on June 24, 1903 to Miss Alberta Grace Veneman who survives.

Other survivors include a son, Donald V. Cole, Dallas, Tex., two daughter, Miss Elizabeth Cole, Mrs. Dorothy Lundgern of Des Moines, Ia., two grandchildren, Susan and Donnie Cole; and two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth McLellan, Centralia, Mrs. Lenora Williamson, Kanawha, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by two sister, Mrs. Bertha Edwards and Mrs. Ethel Kersey.

He was a member of the Baptist church, serving as a deacon for 35 years, also a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Rotary Club.

Funeral services were held at the First Baptist church at 11 o'clock Friday morning, Oct. 26, conducted by the Rev. Elwood G. Kelley, church pastor.

The body was taken to Winterset, Ia., where services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Anderson Funeral Home with the Rev. Kelley officiating. Interment was in the city cemetery at that place.

The body remained at the Meador Funeral Home until the hour of service at the church.