Darlene Diane Coles was at peace and went home to the Lord Jesus Christ on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.

She was born on February 3rd, 1947 in Lemmon, South Dakota to Evelyn Marie Ostby and Alfred Duane Coles. She joined a family of two sisters, Sharon and Betty. Her younger brother Michael was born two years later.

In 1950 on the day after Christmas the family traveled to the Portland area. They arrived just in time for a historic snowstorm that still holds records today.

Darlene attended Kellogg Elementary School and later Franklin High School in Portland and then attended a Beauty School and took community college classes.

She worked for 27 year at Freightliner Corporation. In 2004 she started a second career at Portland General Electric, which lasted for 12 years.

Along with her sister Sharon, she was a member of the international sorority, Sigma Phi Gamma. Darlene was a member of SPG for 28 years. Her sorority provides service to many organizations including the Francis Center, Father’s Heart, Rahab Sisters, and the Madonna Center.

In 2014, Darlene and her brother’s family took a trip to Reno, Nevada for a Coles Family Reunion. On the trip she discovered her nephew Josh shared her music interests. At the reunion, she saw cousins she has not seen in over fifty years. She talked of visiting the cousins again in retirement and maybe having another reunion. Now that reunion will take place in Heaven.

Through her work careers and sorority service she developed many friendships that lasted her lifetime. It was amazing that so many people called and visited during her battle with Pancreatic Cancer. She had so many people coming; they had to change the visiting hours. Thank you Shannon Coffman, Jerome Lape, Rhea Aldridge, Linda Willm and Diane White to name a few. We also would like to thank all the other people from PGE and her other close friends for their support for Darlene and our family.

Darlene had a strong work ethic. For PGE one of her many tasks was to arrange for food for the call center personnel during major storms. These involved 12-hour shifts. The Artic Blast of 2008 is the one she remembered the most.

If you asked what her favorite animal was, I think she would say cats. When she was young she had cats in our home and she enjoyed buying food and toys for her sister’s cat named Turbo, also called Bufus by her brother-in-law Jerry.

Darlene enjoyed the beach, butterflies, walking, music concerts and reading. She did many charity walks with her sister Sharon and niece Dina. She loved to watch movies at the theater with her friends and family. She built up a private DVD collection of her favorite movies, which included both historical and historical non-fiction. She loved he Highlander, Twilight and Downtown Abbey series.

Darlene knew the things she liked and did not like and would tell you directly about them. She had a great memory for trivia and had a knack for witty comments.

Some people called her «Dar» for short. Her brother-in law Jerry sometimes called her «Weenie». She is not survived by but rather cherished by, her sisters Sharon Dexheimer and Betty Britton and her brother Michael Coles and their families. She is also cherished by many friends whose lives she touched so many times.

Darlene we love you and miss you and we know we will see you again in Heaven.

A memorial service of Darlene’s life will be held on:

Saturday, October 8th at 11:00 AM at:
Mt Scott Church of God
10603 SE Henderson St
Portland, OR 97266

A reception will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers pleas give a donation to «Darlene’s Fan Club» team for the
Purple Stride Pancreatic Cancer Walk or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

http://support.pancan.org/site/TR/PurpleStride/PurpleStride?team_id=2768&pg=team&fr_id=1139

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
In Memory of Darlene Coles
1500 Rosecrans Ave. Suite 200
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266