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Dora Coen, 95, of Creston entered eternal rest Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, at the EveryStep Hospice House. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Creston. Father Adam Westphal will be the celebrant. Dora will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to: St. Malachy School, EveryStep Hospice House or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation — Iowa Chapter (JDRF). Public viewing will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center, 809 W. Montgomery St. in Creston. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. with a Christian wake service to follow at 7 p.m. Memories can be shared online at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com.
Lined all along the wood trim in Dora Coen’s hospice room were more than 100 birthday cards. She had just turned 95 when she took her last breaths on Jan. 25, 2020, surrounded by well wishes from people who loved her and her children by her side.
That’s how Dora spent her life — surrounded by loved ones. Dora was born Jan. 23, 1925, the middle child of three and grew up attending Creston schools (naturally excelling at everything she did). After becoming the mother of seven children with (late) husband John Coen, the buzz of a full house was her bliss. By the time her children were having children, Dora was an expert at rallying the clan — one that grew to 22 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. Grandma’s house became a place full of memories: Song and dance, spirited card games (yes, the grandkids’ money is fair game), golf cart rides and fishing. In the center was Dora, probably eating dessert. She never missed dessert. Rarely did she miss the sweet things in life.
At age 18, she seized the opportunity to study at Stephens College in Missouri. After a year, she moved back and married her sweetheart John in 1945. They raised their children on the infamous “fertile” Myrtle Street before building on Summit Lake.
Dora spent her days volunteering around the community and was active in the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Creston. Golf, bridge and rummy with the girls at Crestmoor Golf Club were part of her weekly routine. Dora was active in Bancroft, P.E.O Chapter AZ and the Ladies Literary Circle. She was a volunteer for many organizations including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and the American Cancer Society. She also kept busy bookkeeping at Coen’s Furniture into her 90s. Every day was an opportunity to live big, so naturally, Dora’s makeup and hair were always done up. You never know what a day could bring.
Dora had a gift of bringing people together and reminding us that those sweet things in life are the ones in front of us every day. Turning a stranger into a friend. Playing a card game with the girls. Having a conversation with a loved one. And dessert.
Dora will be dearly missed by her seven children: Connie (Dennis) Purdum of Creston, Mike (Kate) Coen of Creston, Dan (Connie) Coen of Creston, Bruce (Diane) Coen of Helena, Montana, Craig (Linda) Coen of Oskaloosa, Chris (Cindy) Coen of West Des Moines and Meg (Clarke) McGrath of Creston; 18 grandchildren: Anne (Tony) Clem, Jason (Stephanie) Purdum, Brian (Katie) Coen, John (Jacque) Coen, Sara Coen, Scott (Kim) Coen, Pat (Amy) Coen, Steve (Megan) Coen, Gregory (Jennie) Coen, Olivia (Louie) Blood, Matt (Suzy) Coen, Lexi (Matt) Faber, Jayme Humble (significant other, Keith Knouse), Erin (Chad) Durfey, Sean (Shelby) Coen, Turner Baldwin, Bailey McGrath and Maggie McGrath; 32 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Russell Hale of Napa, California; many nieces and nephews.
Preceding Dora in death were her parents; husband John Coen; 4 grandchildren: Jill and Jenny Coen, Beth Coen and Benjamin McGrath; her brother Harold Spriggs and sister, Martha (Spriggs) DeVries.