Sheridan native Loren C. Cole Jr., 82, of Hardin, Mont., died Friday, May 30, 2003, in Billings Deaconess Hospital.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Bullis Funeral Chapel in Hardin. Burial will be 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Elks Section of Sheridan Municipal Cemetery with military and Elks honors.

Mr. Cole was born Nov. 27, 1920, in Sheridan to Loren Cole Sr. and Edna Wood Cole.  He attended schools in Sheridan and was a 1940 graduate of Sheridan High School.

He attended Colorado State University for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army.  He was a tank gunner serving in European Theater. He returned to college following his honorable discharge.

He married Laura Mae Sonneman March 23, 1947, in Sheridan.

He worked for Holly Sugar Corp. and the Montana Highway Department before beginning a career with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.  He worked on the Yellowtail Dam project in 1960 at Fort Smith, Mont. He retired in 1984 as a civil engineering technician.

He enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting, fishing and golf. He tied and sold flies.  He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the American Legion of Hardin, a 50-year member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8 in Sheridan and a 50-year member of Sheridan Elks Lodge.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Lorrie of Helena, Mont.; a son, John (Gloria) of St. Xavier, Mont.; two grandchildren; and one great-grandson, Cole Link.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Doug Link Medical Fund in care of Little Horn State Bank, Hardin, MT 59034.