Elaine L. Cole

Elaine L. Cole, 79, of St. Joseph, went to meet her Lord & Savior with her loving daughters by her side, at Lakeland Medical Center, St. Joseph on Thursday, October 30, 2003. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 A.M. Monday at the Baroda Church of God, 1117 Hinchman Rd., Baroda, with Rev. Bruce Hazel officiating. Cremation will follow the service with burial of ashes at North Shore Memory Gardens. Friends may call from 2-5 P.M. Sunday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to the Baroda Church of God Building Fund. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Mrs. Cole was born July 6, 1924 in Kalamazoo, Michigan to William & Marion (Wise) O?Leary. On August 9, 1941, she married Loren J. Cole in Benton Harbor. She was employed as a bookkeeper for several area businesses, retiring from Wickes Lumber Company in Stevensville. Elaine was also employed as a nanny for several prominent families in the area, as well as a caregiver for many people over the years, both young and old. She was an expert seamstress, sewing wedding & christening gowns, draperies, pillows, and many other items. Elaine was a member of the Baroda Church of God; and a devoted mother & grandmother. She will be greatly missed by her family and all that knew her. Elaine is survived by her five daughters-Jeannine Marks of St. Joseph, Marion (Bill) Gathright & Lauren (Ned) Totzke, both of Baroda, Amanda (Bill) Bammann of Stevensville, Leslie Nelson of St. Joseph; twelve grandchildren-Larry (Nancy) Martin, Matthew (Mary) Martin, Jessica (Mike) Mc Donnell, Mike (Lisa) Gathright, Michelle (Matt) Harrison, Brett (Krista) Totzke, Brian Totzke, Brooke Totzke, Ken (Sommer) Dale, Andrew Dale, Alex Nelson, Chris Nelson, Ranee (Bruce) Hoover; eighteen great-grandchildren; two sisters-Patricia Horton of St. Joseph, Betty Brunson of Chicago; two brothers-Richard (Diane) O?Leary of Venice, Florida, Eugene (Charlotte) O?Leary of Ypsilanti, MI; a cousin-Noreen Fritz of St. Joseph; and a special friend-Ann Arntz of St. Joseph. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Loren, and by a brother-John Paine.