Visitation: Friday, April 1, 2005
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel
101 N. 4th St.Clear Lake, IA 50428
Visitation: Saturday, April 2, 2005
10:00 AM until 11:00 AM
Ventura United Methodist Church
Ventura, IA 50482
Service:Saturday, April 2, 2005
11:00 AM
Ventura United Methodist Church
Ventura, IA 50482
Donald Floyd Coe died Tuesday, March 29th, 2005, at Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, after an 8 year battle with Melanoma. Memorial Service will be Saturday 11:00 a.m. April 2, 2005 at the Ventura United Methodist Church, Ventura, Iowa with Pastor Audrey Young officiating. Inurnment will be 2:00 p.m. at the Mt.Vernon Twp. Cemetery, Burchinal, Iowa with Military Honors by the Clear Lake V.F.W. Visitation will be Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake and then one hour before the service on Saturday at the church. Don was born July 7, 1943, at Mason City, Iowa, the son of Shirley A. Coe and Elsie (Spilman) Coe. He lived in Lake Township until the age of 3 and then moved to the family farm at Ventura. He attended school in Ventura for 13 years, graduating in 1961. On December 22, 1964, he married his high school sweetheart, Judy Kruggel. Don was a veteran of the United States Air Force and Don and Judy were stationed in Syracuse, New York, San Angelo, Texas and Sacramento, California. He was a Vietnam veteran and in 1966 served a 1 year tour of duty in Da Nang. Following his military service Don attended the University of Northern Iowa, graduating in 1972. He then moved back home to Ventura and worked for Everett Peterson Construction for two years, building the family?s current home on the shore of the “Little Lake” in the process. In 1974, Don started his teaching and coaching career in the Mason City School system as a biology teacher at Mason City High School. He then taught on the 7th grade team at Roosevelt Middle school, retiring in 2001. Don enjoyed his position working for Ken Mortensen Construction from 2002 to the present. He was a Coach of the Year for both varsity boys track and assistant varsity wrestling in the Big 8 Conference. He also served as varsity boys cross country coach and assistant sophomore football coach. He helped to originate the annual Mohawk canoe trip to the Boundary Waters and for many years and was a leader of Mason City Mohawk Backpackers on their mountain treks to Colorado and Wyoming. He enjoyed hunting with his German Shorthairs Heidi and Gunner, fishing, canoeing, wilderness backpacking, sailing and golfing.
On January 27th he realized a lifetime dream of playing the golf course at Pebble Beach, California with his friends. In 1973 Don bought his first Hobie 16 sailboat and three months later won the Division 7 Championship and a trip to the nationals at Key West, Florida. He would go on to win the seven-state three more times, as well as many fleet championships in the Clear Lake Yacht Club and other Midwest regattas. For two years Don was the sailing school instructor for the yacht club and also nurtured in his daughters and son-in-law an enjoyment for sailing. He was an avid history buff and enjoyed reading about World War II, the Civil War and the Indian Wars. He had a special interest in the Battle of the Little Big Horn which culminated in a long awaited trip to Custer National Monument where he toured all of the battle sights with Judy in 2003.
Don’s greatest joy was his family, and he especially enjoyed passing on to his daughters his love of the great outdoors. He took Megan and Mindy canoeing in the Boundary Waters and backpacking in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. He had a great appreciation for all types of music and loved to play the guitar. He was an accomplished artist favoring oil paintings, especially wildlife. He is a former member of the Ventura Gun Club, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Clear Lake Hobie Cat Fleet 10, Clear Lake Yacht Club, a member of the Ventura Planning and Zoning Commission and past President of the Ventura Booster Club.
Survivors include his wife, Judy of Ventura, two daughters, Megan Coe of St. Peter, Minnesota and Mindy Griffin of Silverdale, Washington and her husband Jeff Griffin of Ventura; one brother, Gary Coe and wife Ellen of Severn, Maryland; three sisters, Linda Woo and husband Grant of Fair Oaks, California, Diane Elsbury of Ventura and Elaine Aberg and husband Jim, of Mason City. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Dorothy Gerdes of Clear Lake, two brothers-in-law, Kurt Kruggel and wife Kelly of Burchinal and Ron Gerdes and wife Sue Saunders of St. Paul, MN, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and infant son, Michael D. Coe.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA 50428 (641) 357-2193
www.colonialchapels.com
