Everett Herald
Everett WA
Wednesday, February 20, 2002.

Donna Jeanne Laker Cole
Donna Jeanne Laker Cole, 76, of Camano Island, went to Heaven on Saturday,
February 16, 2002, surrounded by her family, after a short illness.
Donna was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Albert Minor Laker and Charles
Arthur Elmer Laker on November 18, 1925. She graduated from high school
in Cedar Rapids, and from the University of Minnesota as a Registered
Medical Technologist. She worked at the University of Minnesota and
the University of Washington in medical research, and as a medical
technologist at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. Donna married Charles
T. Cole on May 26, 1950.

Donna was very generous with her time, her talents, and her love. She was
active in the Stanwood United Methodist Church for over 38 years. She
volunteered at the Stanwood-Camano Fair, and was a member of its Board
of Directors for over 25 years. For more than 20 years, she was a Camano
Island representative to the Island County Mental Retardation Board. She
was a youth leader, playing an active role with her children in Campfire
and the Methodist Youth Fellowship. Her many other activities included
the Monday Study Club, the Stanwood Area Historical Society, the Camano
Islanders, and service as a VITA tax aide and as a volunteer for the
Snohomish County VIP program.

Donna took great joy in this life. Her artistic talents showed themselves
through her painting, ceramics, and woodcarving. She loved the outdoors,
especially the mountains, and was an avid gardener, hiker, backpacker,
and camper. She took pleasure in watching the deer in the fields and the
herons on the flats. She participated actively in sailing, snorkeling,
and snow skiing. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, together they
toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, Russia, India, Korea,
Australia, New Zealand, China, Turkey, and Israel.

Donna was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Bonnie Susan Cole.
She will be greatly missed by her loving husband of 51 years, Charles;
her brother, Robert Laker of Center Point, IA; her five children, Charlet
(Dan) Lindley of Corpus Christi, TX, Robert (Susan) Cole of Stanwood,
WA, Sharon (Patrick) Gilday of Juneau, AK, Shirley (John) Swanson of
Poulsbo, WA, and Janet Cole of Marysville, WA; and twelve grandchildren,
Sean Lindley, Douglas, Lynette, and Scott Cole, David, Gregory (Megan),
Kevin, and Katherine Gilday, and John, Erik, Kristin, and Maren Swanson.
A memorial service in celebration of Donna's life will be held at the
Stanwood United Methodist Church at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 22, 2002.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the
charity of your choice.