Jolene Oden's Obituary
Jolene Rae Coates Oden, age 53 of Exline died Friday evening, December 10, 2003 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa.
She was born December 10, 1950 in Centerville the daughter of Joe & Jeanette Kelly Coates. She graduated from Centerville High School in 1969, Indian Hills Community College in 1971 and attended Northeast MO State College (Truman State). She was married to Curtis Oden October 2, 1993 at First United Methodist Church in Centerville. Jolene worked for 29 years as a book keeper for Bruce Kimmerle, CPA. Due to illness, she was forced to retire in May of 2003.
Jolene was active through the years in many civic organizations. As a girl she was active in the Centerville Chapter of the Rainbow Girls. She served on the Centerville Main Street Board, she was active in BPW and was named Woman of the Year in 1984. She was a longtime member of the XI BETA RHO Sorority. She served on the history committee at the Appanoose County Sesquicentennial Commission. She was active in the Centerville Order of the Eastern Star Chapter # 239 and was Worthy Matron on 3 separate occasions. She was active for over 30 years on the Appanoose County Republican Committee, serving as Treasurer, Secretary and current CO-Chairperson. She was honored in October of this year with a dinner and tribute, as she was elected into the Appanoose County Republican Central Committee Hall of Fame for her many years of loyal service.
She is survived by her husband Curt of Exline, parents Joe and Jeanette Kelly Coates of Centerville, 2 sisters Kristin Elgin and her husband Robert of Oskaloosa, Nancy Snyder and her husband Ken of Centerville; a brother-in-law Russell Oden and his wife Betty Ann of Woodbury, New Jersey, 6 nieces Seth Elgin and his wife Nicole of Connecticut, Ryan Elgin and his wife Tiffany of Iowa City, Holly Reeder and her husband Billy of Cedar Rapids, Megan Elgin of Manhattan, KS, Kimberly Ives and her husband Rory of Woodbury, New Jersey, Russell Oden Jr. of Woodbury, New Jersey, great nieces and nephews Bailey Reeder of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Kameryn and Rory Ives III of Woodbury, New Jersey.
Funeral services will be held at 10 :30 AM Wednesday morning, December 17, 2003 at the First United Methodist Church, Centerville with Pastor Laurie Riley officiating. Friends may call all day Tuesday with the family present from 5-8 PM at the Thomas Lange Funeral Home, Centerville. Burial will be in the Exline Cemetery, Exline. A memorial has been established to the Dept. of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, or the Exline Community Center and may be left at or mailed to the Thomas Lange Funeral Home, PO Box 6, Centerville, Iowa, 52544 or condolences may be left at www.thomaslangefuneralhome.com
What’s your fondest memory of Jolene?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jolene?
Share a story where Jolene's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jolene you’ll never forget.
How did Jolene make you smile?