Funeral Services For Charles M. Coles, Publisher, Held Wednesday In Christ Episcopal Church; Died On Sunday
Heads Lykens Standard For Forty Years, Organist In Local Church For More Than Half Century; Head of Lykens Invincible Band, Prominent In Civic Life Of Town
Funeral services for Charles M. Coles were held Wednesday morning from the Christ Episcopal Church at 10 o’clock the Rev. John Stiffler officiating, interment was made in the Wiconisco Cemetery. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Charlotte [Minnich] Coles, one son, Mark S. Coles, both of Lykens, and two sisters, Mrs. Curtis [Marion Coles] Hensel, of Lititz, and Mrs. Peter [Cora Coles] Gerhart, of Pembrooke.
The pall bearers were W. W. Duncan, Ray Stanley, Warren Watrous, Lloyd Snyder, Alfred Stanley, all of Lykens, and Paul Romberger, of Lykens R.D.
The passing of Mr. Coles, publisher of the Lykens Standard and associated with the paper for more than forty years, came as a shock to the entire community. He died suddenly at the home of his son, Mark S. Coles on Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock of a heart ailment. He had been in ill health for the past eight months, being confined to his bed a great deal of the time since Christmas with a heart ailment.
He was the son of Samuel B. Coles and Hester Marla Coles, born in Lykens, April 27, 1870. He was educated in the local schools and studied at the Cooms Conservatory of Music in Philadelphia, graduating in 1893.
Mr. Coles returned to Lykens and taught music for twelve years. He was director of the Lykens Invincible Band and played the organ in the Episcopal Church for more than half a century.
He was affiliated with his father in the printing business from the time of his graduation for the Conservatory of Music, and when at the insistence of friends the Lykens Standard was organized, he and his father published it jointly.
HE edited the Standard‘s first issue of February 3, 1899, and remained actively in charge of the paper until illness forded his retirement in 1940.
He was active in every community project that took place in the upper end of Dauphin County for more than fifty years. He enjoyed one of the widest acquaintanceships among churchmen and newspapermen of any man in the locality.
He was active in the affairs of the Episcopal Church in the state as well as in the community. He was Senior Vestrymen at the time of his death of the Lykens parish.
He was a member of the Royal Arcanum Lodge, of Elizabethville, the Wiconisco I.O.O.F., and the Lykens Rotary Club. He served the latter organization as its pianist for more than a decade.
Among those who attended the funeral from out-of-town were: Dr. and Mrs. Charles R. Yhost, of Scranton; Mr. and Mrs. Mark Matter, of Harrisburg; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bresler, of Halifax; Mrs. Nora Murphy, of Harrisburg; Rev. and Mrs. George Tovey, of Bethlehem; Dr. and Mrs. Charles Drum, and daughter, Doris Drum, of Carlisle; Mrs. and Mrs. Emanuel Row, of Williamstown; Mrs. Charles Lenker, of Philadelphia; Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Morris and family, of Dillsburg; Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Morris and Family, of Lebanon; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Reedinger, of Wiconisco; Dr. and Mrs. Curtis Hensel and daughter Agnes Hensel, of Lititz; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gerhart and daughter, of Penbrook; Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Reedinger, of Mechanicsburg; Mrs. Joseph Kelley, Wiconisco; Miss Melva Werner and brother Harold Werner, of Mechanicsburg; and Miss Cora Zeigler, of Elizabethville.
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From the Lykens Standard, 30 August 1940, via Newspapers.com.
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