Carol Cole, 79, Hollandale
Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 17, 2008

Memorial services for Carol Jean Cole, 79, of Hollandale, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. The Rev. Jeffrey Kuddes will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. To sign the guest book, goto www.bayviewfuneral.com

Carol died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at Prairie Manor Care Center in Blooming Prairie.

Carol was born on Dec. 11, 1928, to Raymond and Verna (Handgartner) Janssen in Emmet County, Iowa. She attended Ceylon High School and graduated from Mankato State College with two master's degrees. Carol was united in marriage to Verl Cole on Sept. 18, 1949, in Fairmont. She taught in Minnesota schools with a specialty in special learning needs. Carol was the director of special education for the Blue Earth Schools from 1973 to1982. She served as the superintendent for Glenville in the late 1980s, and then went to Crookston/Willow River district as principal. Carol also worked in the Lyle, Olivia and Sherburn districts. In her retirement she continued to substitute teach. Carol was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hollandale, the AAUW, was one of the first female Elks Club members in Albert Lea, the Eagles and American Legion auxiliaries. She enjoyed dancing, genealogy, investment club and computers.

Survivors include her life partner, Dick Delgado; daughter, Trudy (Brian) Haugen of Owatonna; sons, Todd Cole (Kristy Searcy) of Tempe, Ariz., and Thomas (Carrie) Cole of Chanhassen; 10 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; sister, Lenna (Bruce) Hanson of Sparta, Wis.; brother, Raymond A. (Vallus) Janssen of Portsmouth, R.I.; Rich (LaDonna) Delgado of Slidell, La., and Lisa (Mike) Weeden of Millbury, Mass.; and many nieces and nephews.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Verl; and her sister, Bonnie Wesolek.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.