Donald Duane Coble

Donald Duane Coble, of Lansing, went home to be with our Lord, Jesus Christ and join his beloved wife Marie on February 4, 2025. He was surrounded by family and went peacefully after a valiant battle with COPD. He was 82 years old.

Donald was born on February 3, 1943 in Lansing, Michigan. He was one of three children born to Robert and Pauline (Speckin) Coble. He was a graduate of JW Sexton High School. Soon after graduation, he went to work at John Bean with his uncle, Don Speckin and eventually left for another position at Diamond Reo as a Materials Control Specialist. While working there, he discovered skills that led to his passion as a Software Engineer. He continued to work there until the company folded in 1973. As luck would have it, this allowed him to attend Lansing Community College full time and receive an associates degree. In 1975, he secured a position with the State of Michigan making a career doing what he truly loved. He said, "Because I loved my job so much, I never felt that I worked. I got paid to play with creating computer programs." He retired from the State of Michigan in 2007 after 34 years of dedicated service.

Donald was a quiet man who enjoyed traveling in his 1974 Sting Ray Corvette to different car shows across the state of Michigan. He enjoyed bible study, attending church at Delta Mills United Methodist Church, regular dinners with his buddies from Sexton High School, and lunches with his longtime friend, Mike, affectionally known as "gramps".

He met his beloved wife, Marie Harris in 1991. After running into each other at their 30th class reunion, they realized they never met during the three years of high school even though they graduated in the same class of 1961. They soon became inseparable. They courted for seven years and finally made it legal on September 8, 1998 (9/8/98) in the rose garden of St. Frances Park in Lansing. They shared over 22 years of marriage, until her passing in 2021. Years without her were a profound loss & heartbreaking for him.

He will be missed by many. Especially, his children: Tony (Pamela) Coble of Okemos and Richard (Lisa) Harris of St. Joseph. His grandchildren: Cynda (Michael) Fuller of Virginia Beach, Richard Harris, Jr. of Indiana, and Michael Harris of Pennsylvania. As well as, special friends Chuck & Eva Stevens, whom he loved like another son & daughter, brother-in-law Hugh Carlson of Cadillac, and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his precious wife, Marie, his father (Robert) & mother (Pauline), his brother Robert "Mike" Coble, sister Sue Carlson of Cadillac, and younger aunt (whom was more a sibling to him) Trina (Speckin) Taylor.

As Don would say, " I gotta go, Jeopardy is on!"