Eula L. Colle

Eula L. Colle was born Sept. 12, 1921, on a farm south of Valley Falls, Kan. Her parents were Walter and Pearl White Tosh. Eula was the second of four daughters; her sisters were Lora, Marjorie, and Wanda.

When Eula was 5, her father died and Eula’s mother and the girls lived with their grandparents. Eula’s mother remarried to Melvin Irwin in 1930 and the family grew to 10 children.

Eula graduated from high school at Valley Falls and then took a teaching course at the Normal School at Denison, Kan. While in Denison, she met Wayne Colle, who was teaching vocational ag and biology. Wayne and Eula were married on March 1, 1942.

In December 1942, Wayne joined the Air Force and Eula was teaching at a country school near Denison — she had three students! While Wayne was in the service, they lived in Texas, Ohio, and South Dakota, where their oldest son, Tim, was born. After Wayne’s military service, they lived in Lyndon, Kan., where Wayne was a teacher. Their second son, Neil, was born there.

In 1953 they moved to Iola where Wayne became an agency manager for Farm Bureau. While living in Iola, their third son, Brent, was born. In 1954, Eula, Wayne, and the boys moved to Marion where Wayne became the Farm Bureau agent.

Eula and Wayne were members of Valley United Methodist Church, where Eula taught Sunday school. She was active in United Methodist Women, serving as vice president and president, and was chairman of the church sympathy committee for 15 years.

Eula was also a member of Coterie Club and served as president for one year.

Wayne passed away in 2003 and Eula remained in the home on Elm Street until 2009 when she moved to Wichita to be near her son Tim and granddaughter Samantha.

She passed away Monday morning at Meadowlark Adult Care Home in Wichita.

Eula is survived by her sons, Tim of Wichita, Neil of McPherson, and Brent of Ponca City, Okla.; a stepbrother, Clarence Irwin, and a stepsister, Lucille Shaw, both of Topeka; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

The funeral is to be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, at Valley United Methodist Church with committal to follow at Marion Cemetery. A memorial has been established with the church in care of Zeiner Funeral Home of Marion.