Helen Cole

Memorial Services Wednesday, December 29, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Christian Church in Miles City

Helen Clare Covell Cole was born January 7, 1916, in Havre, MT, the second & youngest daughter of Frank and Clara Allen Covell. She passed away December 16,2004, in Miles City, MT.

Helen's father was supervisor of truck transportation for the Great Northern Railroad, and the family lived in Havre & Wolf Point for much of her youth. They moved to Great Falls in 1931, where she graduated from Great Falls High. She attended Northern Montana College in Havre and graduated from Montana State College in Bozeman. Helen later worked in Helena as secretary to the State Merit System supervisor.

A job at the Farm Security Administration brought Helen to Fairfield, and it was there she me William Wesley (Bill) Cole. Helen and Bill were married November 13, 1943, near Lemoore, CA, where Bill was stationed with the Army Air Corp. The couple returned to Fairfield after Bill's discharge from the service, and he ranched with his father, Wheeler, on the place near Freezeout Lake which Wheeler had homesteaded in 1902. Helen and Bill had three daughters; Judith Lee, born in 1944; Patricia Ann, born in 1948; and Barbara Jean, born in 1953.

Helen was active in many community activities in the Fairfield & Choteau area, and she was a member of the Fairfield United Church of Christ. One of her very favorite pastimes was working in the beautiful yard and flower beds surrounding the ranch house, an activity which she pursued into her 80's.

When Bill passed away in 1971, after a 25 year battle with Parkinson's disease, Helen remained on the ranch. It was only in 2001, at the age of 85 that she moved to an apartment in Fairfield, leaving behind the home and beautiful park-like surroundings she'd loved for 55 years She often recalled how, as a young wife and "city girl," she had not wanted to move to the ranch and how eventually, she resisted leaving it. In 2002, Helen moved to Miles City, where she resided at Friendship Villa with her faithful Katt.

Helen is survived by her daughter Judy Cole-Martin and husband, Ed, of Bainbridge Island, W A; daughter Patty Frizzell, of Newport, W A, and daughter Barb Cole and son-in-law Mark Cole of Miles City. She is also survived by her sister, Margaret Phelan of Millbrae, CA, and grandchildren ChrisFrizzell, Travis Frizzell and Erin Cole. Additional survivors include a very special fuend, Billie (Kathryn) Lear of Fairfield and a favorite cousin, Ed Kapernick, of Boise, ID.

Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will be held Wednesday, December 29, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Christian Church in Miles City. The family will hold a celebration of Helen's life at the ranch near Fairfield in the summer of 2005. Condolences may be sent to the family by visitingwww.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials are suggested to the Fairfield Friends of the Library, Holy Rosary Hospice or a charity of one's choice.