Ruth Annette (Duska) Cole, age 94, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, fell asleep in Jesus on Thursday, June 25, 2026, and is awaiting the resurrection.

Ruth was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 63 years, Donald Edward Cole; parents, John and Susan Duska; brother and sister-in-law, John and Lillian Duska; infant brother, George Duska; brothers-in-law, Kenneth, Gordon, and Richard Cole; sister-in-law, Sandra (Gordon) Cole; infant sister-in-law, Elaine Cole; parents-in-law, Peter John and Barbara Pearl Cole.

She is survived by her loving children, Brent (Virginia) Cole, Denise (Mike) Newhall, and Suzanne Cole; precious grandchildren, Andrew Cole and Ashley Jade Schone; nieces, Robin (Richard) Duska Huff and Ruth (Tom) Duska Matula; sister-in-law, Sandra (Richard) Cole; great-grandchildren, Theodore, Jason, Cyrus, and Amelie Schone; and other family including, Natalie DeWind Cole Marocco, Ann Kipina, Joshua Schone, and Sami Schone, cousins and many friends.

Ruth was a member of the Grand Rapids Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, where she served as a pianist for several years, and in earlier years was the leader of the Cradle Roll Division and the church school’s Home and School Association. One of her most memorable accomplishments was the creation of the church’s Red Carpet Recipes Volume I cookbook to fundraise for new carpet for the sanctuary and later Red Carpet Recipes Volume II cookbook to fundraise for renovation of the church school’s library. At Bauer SDA Church she was a pianist for not only the church services but was always willing to play for the children’s Sabbath School divisions and Vacation Bible Schools.

Ruth fully retired the year she turned 91 after years working as a bookkeeper for several businesses. She worked for H&R Block before becoming an independent tax preparer. When her children were in elementary school, she was an Avon consultant, and later in life a Pampered Chef consultant. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, she taught piano with 15 to 23 students per year. Through the years, her hobbies included counted-cross stitch, crocheting, stamp collecting, painting, and scrapbooking. She enjoyed hosting and visiting with friends and family. Anyone who visited her home knew her favorite color was blue.

A memorial service will be held in July. Interment will be held at Washington Memorial Park Cemetery. Please consider donations to Strong Tower Radio or Corewell Health Foundation West Michigan Hospice.