Stanley Warren Cole

Stanley Warren Cole was born on March 28, 1938, to Garrett and Elizabeth Cole in Manhattan, Montana, the oldest of five children. He grew up on a dairy farm on Cole’s Corner in beautiful Big Sky Country. In 1956, Stan was in the first graduating class of Manhattan Christian High School. He attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later, Colorado University, Boulder.

He met Barbara Geels in Bozeman, Montana, in 1958, and they were married August 31, 1960, after which they moved to Grand Rapids, where their first daughter Debbie was born in 1961. Shortly after, Stan and Barb moved to Denver, Colorado, where Stan began teaching at Denver Christian High School, teaching English and directing plays. Their daughter Carmen was born in 1965.

The family moved to Bellflower, California, where Stan took up teaching at Valley Christian High School in 1969. Their daughter Melanie was born in 1970. Primarily teaching English, Stan also served as guidance counselor, was advisor for tutors, led the Interact Club, and directed plays. Stan retired from VCHS in 2000. While teaching at Valley, Stan also taught at Biola, and continued there part time following his retirement from Valley.

Stan always had a heart for service. His countless hours of volunteering included serving as elder at Grace CRC and Bethany CRC, visiting people in need, leading Bible classes, and using his voice as a narrator. Stan was active with CRWRC for many years, including serving as president, and traveling to Uganda twice, where he helped to establish a ministry. He traveled to El Salvador several times for mission work. Stan also read to residents at the Artesia Christian Home, visited veterans at Veteran’s Hospital, Long Beach, and ministered to prisoners through Crossroads Prison Ministry.

Leisure time was also dear to Stan. He started a bocce ball group, was an avid reader, and started a book club. Stan was rarely seen without a pen in his pocket and the newspaper puzzle page in his hand. He enjoyed games of all kinds with his family and friends. There was no sport that Stan was not interested in watching, always rooting for the underdog. Stan and Barb visited all fifty states, Canada, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. They enjoyed taking their daughters, husbands, and grandchildren on many amazing trips.

Stan was a genuine family man, devoted husband, dad, grandpa, son, brother, uncle and friend, and we will never stop missing him. He was faithful, interested, supportive, encouraging, prayerful, patient and kind. He loved God’s church and all people. Psalms and hymns were so dear to his heart. He was a social justice warrior. Most of all, he loved his Savior Jesus Christ, and dedicated his life to His service.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 64 years, Barbara, and their three daughters and their families:

*Debbie and Mike Fitzgerald

Candice and Cameron Gauci

James, Atlas, Daisy and Ford

Paige Fitzgerald

*Carmen and Bill Bandstra

Maxine, Sophie, Geneva, and Jude Bandstra

*Melanie Grigg

Isabel and Cecily Grigg

He is also survived by his sister Margaret (Rick) Schuyler, brother Bill (Barb) Cole, sisters-in-law Cindy Cole and Kay Etheridge, in-laws Nelson Geels, Lillian (Bill) Nikkel, Gretta Geels, Betty (Lee) LeFebre, John (Linda) Geels, and many nephews, nieces, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Garrett and Elizabeth Cole, brothers Gary Cole and Howard Cole, sisters-in-law Margaret Cole and Doris Cole, parents-in-law John and Betty Geels, brother-in-law Chester Geels, and sister-in-law Doris Geels. Memorials to World Renew.

A funeral service for Stanley will be held Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Bethany Christian Reformed Church, 17054 Bixby Ave, Bellflower, CA 90706. Following the funeral service will be a graveside service at 1:00 PM at Artesia Cemetery District, 11142 Artesia Blvd, Cerritos, CA 90703.

***Follow the link to view Stanley Cole's Funeral Service:

https://vimeo.com/event/4554451/13df29dcbb