DeLores Marie Cole, aged 90, passed away peacefully in the presence of family on Sunday, September 6, 2020, at MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines. DeLores (Dee) was born on September 22, 1929 in Goodell, Iowa, to Sena (Ruiter) and Daniel Kaduce, and was the fifth child of six. Dee graduated from Thompson High School in May 1948 where she had participated in girls basketball, band and vocal groups and had been selected band queen for the town of Thompson. She was united in marriage to Donald Richard Cole on July 15, 1948, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Donna, Dixon and Debbie.
Dee had a broad career path, starting with a successful Stanley Home Products business, working at Rockwell Collins, Boyer Valley Coop, Griffin Construction and lastly First Federal Savings Bank as branch manager and later vice president. After retirement, Dee lent her considerable marketing skills to the Mary Kay business for many years.
Dee and Don had the opportunity to live in a number of different Iowa communities due to Don’s job as an Iowa DNR Park Ranger. In 1963, while living at Palisades-Kepler State Park in Mount Vernon, Don & Dee had a visit from John Glenn Jr., who was looking to overnight with his family without being recognized. Glenn was the astronaut, who in February of that same year, became famous as the first American to orbit the earth as one of the seven astronauts with Project Mercury. The next day, Glenn and his family graciously visited the Coles at their home and posed for pictures with the two families. He later went on to serve as a U.S. Senator from Ohio from 1974-1999. Dee always considered Glenn to be one of her heroes.
Dee had a deep love for her family. She found pride in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren’s achievements. She was the matriarch who always rounded up family for holidays and birthdays and it brought her great joy to see all of them have fun and grow up together.
She loved playing cards, especially bridge. As anyone who has played cards with her knows, Dee was highly competitive. Card games would go on for hours until she could find a way to win, sometimes by “shooting the moon.”
Dee loved to travel and went on several cruises with friends. She was always up for a getaway, including her last trip to Vegas with her daughters for her 90th birthday a year ago. She enjoyed trips to local casinos and spending time going out to eat and playing cards with her Lake View friends every Friday night. Dee enjoyed “watching the birds” with Don in their perfect location beside Arrowhead Lake.
Dee was an active member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Lake View for 53 years and gave generously of her time to assist with events and serve in leadership positions. Faith was the guiding force in her life. She was a volunteer in the Lake View community, a member of Lions Club, Red Hat Ladies, helping with the Lake View summer carnival, and delivering Meals on Wheels. Dee was also a member at Spring Lake Country Club for many years, where she enjoyed golf and socializing.
Preceding Dee in death were her mother and father; sisters, Arlene (Lee) Pommrehn, Freda (Thomas) DeToy; brothers, Henry (Betty) Kaduce, and Edward (Janet) Kaduce. Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of 72 years Don, brother Richard (Ruth) Kaduce of Clear Lake; her children, Donna (Mike) Schoneboom of Polk City; Dixon (Karie) Cole of Manning; Debbie (Brad) Nielsen of Des Moines; her grandchildren, Kristy (Hiram) Houghton, Matthew (Susanna) Cole, Stacy (Chris) Anderson, Andrea (Jeff) Troutner, Nate Nielsen, and Jacob Nielsen; and great-grandchildren: James, Cole, Madelyn Cole, Hannah Cole, Grace Troutner, Nicholas Troutner, Sydney Houghton, Lincoln Cole, Jack Houghton, Parker Anderson, Cole Anderson, Nora Houghton, and McKenna Anderson.
If friends would like to give/send a memorial, the family suggests that contributions be made to: Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 115 2nd St. Lake View, IA 51450