Pauline Lois Cole

Pauline Lois (Arneson) Cole was born July 25^th, 1929, to Allen (AJ) and Carrie (Jacobson) Arneson near Diamond, Harmon Township, Roberts County, South Dakota.   Pauline was the seventh surviving child for AJ and Carrie, all of which were born on the family farm.  Carrie was 45 years old at the time of Pauline’s birth.   AJ, a high-school Valedictorian in Minneapolis followed Carrie’s dream into farming.  Both came from recent Norwegian immigrant families.  Times on the farm were very tough in the “dirty thirties” but AJ and Carrie held on to the farm.  Pauline was very proud of her parents’ work ethic and their Norwegian heritage.   

Pauline was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith at Trondhjem Lutheran Church in Harmon Township.  Thus began a life of devotion and service to her church.  With Pauline being the youngest of seven, Carrie was glad to see Pauline skip off to East Harmon #1 country school as a rambunctious 4-year-old.   Pauline completed eight years of country school and four years of high school at Rosholt, South Dakota graduating by age 16.  After a summer of teacher training in Aberdeen, Pauline accepted a full-time country school teaching role at her old school, East Harmon #1 at the age of 17!   Pauline met a young man, Milton Cole of White Rock, South Dakota, at a dance at the New Effington Ballroom and thus began 50+ years of happiness together.  Pauline and Milton were married on Sunday afternoon, July 20^th, 1947, at Augustana Lutheran Church in White Rock South Dakota.  After a honeymoon in the Black Hills, they were home to harvest, and Milton sent Pauline out to swath a very bumpy field of wheat in North Dakota!  The birth of a true partnership.

After a few years together Pauline and Milton were blessed with the arrival of Colette Kae in 1950 and Twylah Hope in 1953.  In the spring of 1956, an opportunity arose to move to a prime farmstead in East Monson Township in Traverse County Minnesota where Jane Alene, was born in 1957 and FINALLY, a son, Niles Allen, was born in 1961.  Pauline and Milton remained on that farm, working the land for 40 years together until retiring in 1996.

In the 1960’s Pauline first worked in the Head Start program in Wheaton followed by serving as a Nurses Aid at the Wheaton Community Hospital.  With the two oldest nearly out of the nest, Pauline returned to school in 1971, earning her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) degree from (then) North Dakota State School of Science (NDSSS) in one hectic year!  Soon after graduation an opportunity arose to join Dr. Raymond Kieffer’s dental practice as a Dental Assistant, where she served for many years.

Pauline served her church teaching Sunday School, serving as Superintendent of Sunday School and VBS, and as a Board member of Augustana Lutheran Church.  Pauline and Milton were both instrumental in White Rock’s Centennial in 1984 and Augustana’s Lutheran’s 100-year celebration in 1987.  She was inducted into the Wheaton Area Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for her service to the community.

Pauline and Milton loved traveling and the beach-life spending a few weeks each winter on Fort Myers Beach for many years where they developed deep friendships.  Their travels took them to most of the United States and to Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.  They were noted “night owls” once wall papering a neighbor’s kitchen in the middle of the night!

Pauline was an excellent cook and entertainer, hosting many family celebrations including “Dip in the Kettle” every Christmas eve noon.  Her caramel rolls, and desserts were so delicious.

Milton and Pauline retired and moved off the farm and into “town” in 1996 where they bought their first house!  Milton passed away shortly after their 50^th anniversary in August of 1997 and Pauline remained living independently in her home, and independent she was, finding her at home was a challenge!  Shopping was Pauline’s true love, once she and sister Rachel spent an entire 13-hour sale in Dayton’s!  During these years Pauline spent parts of 25 winters in Yuma with Twylah and Gary soaking in the sun!  To celebrate turning 70, Pauline went parasailing and to celebrate turning 80, she went skydiving!!  In October of 2022 at age 93 Pauline moved to Riley Crossing Senior Living in Chanhassen, Minnesota to be nearer to her family.  Pauline passed away peacefully on Sunday April 28^th, 2024, at the age of 94 years, 9 months, and 3 days.  A life lived to its fullest!

Pauline was preceded in death by Milton, her beloved parents, AJ and Carrie, brothers Joe (Alice), Clarence (Marietta), Luther (Betty) and sisters Hazel Austin (Steve), Martha Sanden (Jim) and Rachel Monson (LC, aka Muns), son-in-law Steve Evangelista (Jane) and grandson Nicholas Carlson.  She is survived by daughters Colette Carlson (Jim), Twylah Wahl (Gary), Jane Evangelista and son, Niles Cole (Heather), grandchildren Heather Menden (Kyle), Cameron Wahl (Katie), Alyssa McLellan (Justin), Andrew Wahl (Danielle), Tony Evangelista (Elise), Megan Evangelista (Luke Osborn), Delaney Cole (Isaac Foote), Larson Cole, Jackson Cole, and Nelson Cole and great grand-children Jack, Nora, and Hank Menden, Garrett Wahl, Allison and Megan Arjes, Cohen, Aili, and Brody McLellan, Benjamin, Evelyn and Theodore Wahl, Lily and Mia Evangelista, and Madi and Avery Osborn.

Pauline’s favorite verse was Psalms 136:1 Oh, give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, and his mercy endureth forever!!