Jay was born on December 11, 1955 to Marius and Edna Kole - their third child and only son. After graduating from Dike High School in 1973, Jay attended Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Jay was a gifted singer and was privileged to sing in elite choirs at both schools and performed professionally.
Jay married his first wife, Tanjala Mabon in August 1979. Though their marriage lasted only a few years, they were blessed with three loved and cherished children: Justin, Marshall and Grace.
Jay’s civil engineering work took him from Iowa to Texas and finally to Fort Collins, Colorado. It was in Fort Collins that Jay met Chuck Hughes, the man he came to call his brother. There he also met the true love of his life, Jody McAfee. Jay and Jody married in December 1987. In 1990 they relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado, where they still make their home.
The desert Southwest spoke to Jay’s soul and it was here that he found his “home”. Jay loved the dry climate and rugged desert landscape of the Western Slope of the Rockies. He would often venture to Chuck’s ranch to release his inner cowboy as he rode and ranched with his lifelong friend, and Chuck’s Texas Longhorns and Border Collies.
Grand Junction is also where his wife Jody excelled in her work of providing quality, affordable housing for Coloradans. Jay was immensely proud of her achievements and never tired of telling any who would listen. Jay continued to use his gifts of song and guitar as a cantor for St. Ann’s Catholic Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church where he and Jody attended.
Jay and Jody supported a variety of community non-profit organizations and events. One of Jay’s favorites was the Empty Bowls event to benefit Grand Valley Catholic Outreach.
Jay had a wry sense of humor, an insatiable curiosity, and a quirky penchant for obscure trivia. He was prone to breaking into song at any time, because (in his words) “why say it when you can sing it”.
Jay was preceded in death by his father, Marius Kole and his father-in-law, Dale McAfee, both Navy Veterans, of whom Jay was intensely proud.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Jody; his children, Justin (Carrie) Kolehart of Cedar Falls, IA, Marshall (Sarah) Kole of Omaha, NE, and Grace (Nick) Fee of Waterloo, IA; his mothe,r Edna Kole of Sioux Falls South Dakota; his sisters, Rochelle (Tim) Schiebout of Sioux Falls, SD, Renee (Dallas) Roskamp of Edgerton, MN and Karen (Harry) Van Harten of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; his mother-in-law, Theany McAfee of Cheyenne, WY; as well as two grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will take place at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary on Tuesday, July 14, from 5PM to 7PM, with a Rosary at 7PM. Funeral service will be at Immaculate Heart of Mary church on Wednesday, July 15, at 10:30AM.
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