Ruth Cole

Ruth Ellen Cole, 87, died Wednesday, August 15, 2012, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, Colo. A funeral service will be Wednesday, August 22, 2012, at 10:00 A.M. at Hood Mortuary Chapel. Burial will occur at Florida Cemetery in Durango.

Mrs. Cole was born March 24, 1925, in Durango, Colo., the daughter of Garland and Rena (Troutt) Neel. Ruth was born at Ochsner Hospital and raised in Durango. She attended schools in Durango and graduated from Durango High School in 1942. She attended Fort Lewis at the old campus south of Hesperus where she served as editor of the yearbook and graduated in 1944. After graduating from Fort Lewis, she graduated from Colorado State University where she earned a degree in Home Economics. She was hired as an Extension Agent in Routt County. While living and working in Steamboat Springs, she met a cattleman named James William Cole, who she married on her parents' wedding anniversary, December 20, 1947. They married in Durango at the Methodist Church and returned to Steamboat Springs where their first child was born. Jim took Ruth to the hospital for the delivery by horse-drawn sled because the deep snow made the roads impassable. In 1949, she and Jim purchased a ranch on the Florida Mesa near Durango and moved their herd of cattle to Durango on the railroad. They originally raised Hereford cattle but later switched to registered Red Angus.

Ruth was a proud hardworking ranch wife, raising all of her children and taking care of all ranch work. She would cook for hay crews in the summer including many members of the DHS football team in the 1970's. Ruth made many life-long friends of customers and co-workers from the railroad where she was the attendant of the Cinco Animas and Nomad railcars from the mid 1970’s to the mid 1990’s. She would serve beverages, retell local history, and name all the wildflowers which grew along the route.

At home, she was an avid gardener and cooked and canned delectable foods for which she was well known. Family and friends fondly recall her chicken and dumplings, homemade bread, canned pickles and the recipes which she gladly shared with anyone who asked. Sunday nights were made memorable for the family as all would gather at Jim and Ruth’s house for pizza and watching Bonanza on TV. She would spend quiet time doing word search puzzles, reading, taking care of her beloved dog, Bonnie, and more than 80 orchid plants for which she was well known. Ruth was proud to be a charter member of the La Plata County Cowbelles, seldom missing a meeting and serving as the group’s president five times. In 1981, she was honored with the Cattleperson of the Year award from the La Plata County Cattlemen’s Association and she received the Colorado Cattlewoman of the Year in 2002. She also volunteered at the United Methodist Thrift Store for many years. Ruth also treasured a group of ladies who called themselves the “Remnants.” They were all graduates of the Old Fort Lewis and once a month gathered for lunch and reminiscing.

She is survived by James G. (and Criquet) Cole (son and daughter-in-law) of Phillipsburg, KS, Ray (and Chris) Cole (son and daughter-in-law) of Ft. Collins, CO, Barbara (and Robert) Morgan (daughter and son-in-law) of Durango, J. Roger (and Rena) Cole (son and daughter-in-law) of Durango, six grandchildren: Jason Cole, Crystal Pennington, Caitlin LePlatt, Logan Cole, Megan Cole and Neel Cole, one great grandchild: Owen, Kathleen Williams (aunt) of Westmoreland, TN, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband James in 2006, her granddaughter Cristin Luzar in 2001, and her two sisters, Edie Heath in 2001 and Judy Bradford in 2008.