Judy Marie Cole, 76, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 4, 2020 in Kalamazoo, Michigan following a long battle with cancer.
A public visitation will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2020 from 4-7:00PM at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater. Private family services will be held with interment following at Oak Grove Cemetery. Social distancing will be enforced and all visitors must wear a face covering. A memorial service for extended family and friends will be held at a later date.
Judy was born March 16, 1944 in Concord, Michigan to Clarence and Leona (Bills) Butters. On June 17, 1961, she married John Richard Cole in Coldwater, Michigan, where she would reside the rest of her life. They raised four children, which Judy recently described as “the best thing I ever did in my life.”
Judy was a caring friend, a devoted wife, a loving mother and a wonderful grandmother. Judy was passionate about traditions—both continuing and creating them. Among her children and grandchildren, she is probably most dearly remembered for creating Kiddie Night. For well over twenty years, Judy invited her grandchildren, children and spouses, and often friends of the grandchildren to a weekly dinner at her home. Kiddie Night created hundreds of memories—playing at the lake, games, “birthdays observed,” dress up nights, movies and more. The children loved her food and she always claimed the secret was love. Judy loved holidays as well, and celebrated those with Christmas Tree Picking Parties, Christmas Eve gatherings, favorite family dishes at the Thanksgiving table, Easter Egg Hunts and Fourth of July celebrations. She also enjoyed recurring breakfast and lunch dates with family and girlfriends, as a way to keep in touch with those who were important to her.
Knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, sewing, ceramics, basket-weaving and other crafts were some of Judy’s hobbies. She was a prolific knitter and her dishcloths were a popular gift. Most recently, those who helped care for her, such as staff at Promedica-Coldwater and Maple Lawn, were touched by her generous gifts of dishcloths and scrubbies.
Judy retired in 2009 as the Branch County Circuit Court Clerk, having worked for the County of Branch for over 25 years, first as a Deputy in the Clerk’s Office. In her earlier years, she also worked at Branch County Bank, the Coldwater Regional Center, Coldwater Credit Bureau, Coldwater Optometrics and the Community Health Center. Judy enjoyed the friendships she developed at each of her positions—many became lifelong friends. Judy was an active member of the parent-teacher associations at her childrens’ schools and shared her love of holidays in many parade floats. As a member of the Jaycees Auxiliary, Judy was a founding member of the Buckle Up Babes program.
Judy is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, John, her daughter Wendy (Ryan) Bethel of Muskegon, Michigan, her son Ben (Peggy Wright) Cole, and twins David (Melissa Diotte) Cole and Dennis (Jessika) Cole, all of Coldwater, Michigan, her grandchildren, Kiera Shaffer, Jenny Adams, Dana Cole, Amy Cole, Garrett Cole, Marshall Cole, Kelsey Thomet, Keegan Sherman, and Zachary Diotte, her sisters Alice Clark, Mary Ann Fisher, and Colleen Wendorf, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence Butters and Leona Katz, her brother William Butters and her sister Jeannie Stempien.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in Judy’s memory to the First Baptist Church of Coldwater.
