Charles "Bill" Cole

Funeral Services for Charles "Bill" Cole will be conducted from the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Friday, March 13, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Kenton Birtell, officiating. Interment will be in the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege with military honors provided by the American Legion Post #66 inconjuction with the Nebraska National Guard Honors Team.

Charles William "Bill" Cole, 78 years of age, of rural Holdrege, passed away on Monday, March 9, 2009 at the Bertrand Nursing Home in Bertrand, Nebraska. Bill was born June 15, 1930 at Holdrege, the eldest of two children of Ralph Otis and Bessie Lenora (Wells) Cole. He began his primary education at District #23 in Phelps County and later the Randolph School in Lincoln, Nebraska, when the family moved from the farm for a few years. The family then returned to Holdrege, where Bill graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1948.

Following his education, Bill engaged in farming with his father. On May 1, 1951, he was united in marriage to Lila Mae Pfeiffer of Elwood, Nebraska at the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege and to this union three children were born: Shelley, Linda and Steven. On September 11, 1951 he was inducted into the United States Army in the 5th Regimental Combat Team of the 3rd Battalion Headquarters Company. Bill served as a Combat Construction Specialist overseas and was honored with the Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Medal with two Bronze Service Stars and the Purple Heart. On June 10, 1953, he was honorably discharged from the Army and returned home to the farm. On February 28, 1954, he was confirmed in the Missouri Synod Lutheran faith by Pastor W.E. Heddrick. On May 31, 1958, Bill received a Certificate of Achievement after 24 months of training in the Institutional On-Farm Program offered at the Holdrege High School by the State of Nebraska-Division of Vocational Education. His focus was the development of the farm and working the cow/calf operation. On June 20, 2000, Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Lila.

He was a member of the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church and was a past member of the V.F.W. Family was of utmost priority in his life and especially enjoyed following his grandchildren's activities.

He leaves to mourn his passing his two daughters: Shelley Cole-Allen and her husband, Matthew of Ft. Collins, Colorado and Linda Karlson and her husband, Dudley of Holdrege; his son, Steven Cole and his wife, Teresa of Holdrege; six grandchildren: Sarah and Marissa Allen, Kayla and Jared Karlson and Brenna and Colten Cole; one sister, Beverly Gray and her husband, Lawrence of Grand Island, Nebraska; brother-in-law, Herschel Sheffield of Wilcox, Nebraska; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; sisters-in-law: Berdena Sheffield and Helen Fong and her husband, Doyle and brother-in-law, Floyd Pfeiffer and his wife, Beth.

Bill will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Thursday, March 12, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A memorial has been established in his memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.