Gretel E. Cole

Gretel Ernestine Cole of Grantham, NH, passed quietly on March 15, 2008 at St. Josephs Hospital, Nashua, NH, after a brief illness.�She was born in Springfield, NH on November 6, 1914, daughter of Ernest H. and Irene M. Palmer.�She graduated from Kimball Union Academy as Salutatorian, Class of 1931, and then earned a teaching certificate at Keene State College.� Her teaching career included many years as an elementary teacher in the Unity, NH and Newbury, NH public schools.� Education was extremely important to her, and she completed her Bachelors and Masters degrees through the University of New Hampshire extension program.� She retired from teaching in 1974 after 38 years, having touched the lives of many, many young people.� One of her greatest joys during her retired years were chance meetings with her previous students while out shopping in Newport or Claremont.�In addition to teaching, Gretel and her husband operated Coles Marine in Sunapee Harbor for many years.� One of her special hobbies was being a member of the Granite State Cloggers.�Gretel was predeceased by her husband, Donald W. Cole; sisters, Madeline Ihnen and Edna Faulkner; brothers, Rodney and Harvey Palmer.�She is survived by her sisters, Irene Norell of Sequim, WA, Margery Trumbull of Hanover, NH and Katherine Bowen of Sun City, AZ; brother, Stanley Palmer of Virginia Beach, VA; daughter, Gretel (Judy) Taylor of Moultonboro, NH; granddaughters, Michelle Kelley of Portsmouth, RI, Veronica Rosa of Brookline, NH, Nathalie Shutt of Rochester, NH and Martine Taylor of Foxboro, MA; six great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.������There are no visiting hours.� A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 19th at 1:00 pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH.� In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Financial Aid Program at Kimball Union Academy, c/o the Development Office, Meriden, NH� 03770 or by email at www.kua.org.� Smith & Heald Funeral Home, Milford, is handling arrangements