Della Ann Cole Enslow

Della Ann Cole Enslow, 95 died Friday, April 1, 2016 at the Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, Kansas. She was born May 28, 1920 in Laswell, Kansas in Barber County the daughter of Ernest & Harriet (Gott) Cole.
Della moved with her family to a farm near Deerfield, Kansas in 1928. The later moved to Lakin where Della attended school and graduated from Lakin High School in 1938. She then received her normal training from Fort Hays College. Della taught for 2 years in a 1 room school house in Kearny County. She then served from September 1943 to September 1945 during WWII in the United States Army with the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corp. She served in Africa and Italy. After the service, she returned to Lakin where she has lived since. A lifetime homemaker, Della also worked from 1946 t0 1948 as a teller at the Kearny County Bank. She later worked as a clerk at the Lakin Post Office and then sold securities and insurance for Waddel & Reed. Della retired in 1980. She was a longtime member of the Lakin United Methodist Church where she served as an avid volunteer and on many committees. She was also a member of the American Legion of Garden City, she served as a 4-H leader for 30 years, a charter member of the Kearny County Historical Society, a charter member of the Wheatbelt Credit Union, a member and secretary/treasurer of the Veterans Memorial Building Board, a charter member of the Kearny County Museum, a member of the Homemakers H.D.U., and was the chief cook and donut maker for the Lord’s Acre for more than 25 years at the Lakin United Methodist Church. Della enjoyed gardening, sewing, and baking especially for the county and state fairs.
On March 16, 1946 she married Leonard G. Enslow in Lakin, Ks. He died on July 6, 2005. Della is also preceded in death by her parents; 4 brothers Paul Cole, Allen Cole, Rufus Cole and Nolan Cole; 3 sisters Pearl Weaver, Nellie Thomas, and Christina Grusing; and a son-in-law Andy Eastin.
Survivors include 4 daughters Mary Ann Kibbe and husband Bob of Beloit, Ks., Rev. Marilyn L. Niemeyer and husband Tom of Freeman, Mo., Ruth M. Eastin of Lakin, Ks., and Gayle Enslow Tackett and husband Kerry of Deerfield, Ks.; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 4, 2016 at the Lakin United Methodist Church with Rev. Rita Stockton officiating. A private family burial will take place prior to the memorial service at the Lakin Cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday and from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Monday all at Garnand Funeral Home in Lakin. The family request memorials given to the Kansas Honor Flight or the Church of the Upper Room both in care of Garnand Funeral Home of Laki