With deepest sorrow, we announce that Cole Darran Rodenbeek, age 39, our beloved father, son, brother, fiance, family member and friend passed away on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 in a car accident.  Cole made his grand entrance into the world on December 25th, 1982.  He was known to say that he wanted to make sure everyone remembered his birthday.

Cole grew up in Salina, but spent time living in Reno, NV and Denver, CO amassing friends from across the country.  In 2010, he married Kyrsten (Beckmann) and they had two beautiful children, Payge and Marley, who were and are the lights of their lives.

You can’t explain Cole, you have to experience Cole. This quote, by one of his friends, perfectly sums up the man. He lived and loved large. In 2020, he and fiance Meredith Frazier moved to Lawrence and bought a home in the country.  They quickly turned that home into a farm fully stocked with goats, chickens, dogs, cats, children, and lots of love and laughter.  There was always a friend or two, or twenty stopping by, and Cole welcomed them all. His most enduring gift was his ability to spin a yarn.  He could stretch an ordinary tale into a two hour narrative full of truths, but mostly half truths. Cole loved to wow people and make them laugh. What Cole loved most of all was to be surrounded by his children. His proudest moments involved Payge and Marley.

Cole is predeceased by grandparents William and Evelyn Cole of Salina; Betty Rodenbeek, of Salina;  great grandparents, Nathan and Dorothy Butcher of Salina; and Edward and Ruby Rodenbeek, of Scott City.

Cole will be missed everyday by his fiance, Meredith Frazier and her two children, Jack and Kincaid of the home; his son, Payge Rodenbeek, of Bennington; his daughter, Marley Rodenbeek, of Bennington;  his mother, Barbara Nitz and stepfather, Rod, of Lawrence; fathers, Michael Rodenbeek, of Salina, Paul Lowe and wife Terry, of Reno, NV; grandfather, Jim Rodenbeek, of Scott City; brothers, Noah Rodenbeek and wife Renee, of Lawrence, Benton Bates and wife Amanda, of Denver; sister, Alexandria Keith and husband Troy, of Lawrence; sister, Caitlin Sidener, of Mission, KS; brother, Max Lowe, of Reno, NV; sister, Marina Lowe, of Seattle, WA; sister, Chloe Vaugirard and husband Loic, of Miami, FL; sister, Lilly Bristow of Brookville; step brothers, Karl Nitz and wife Stacy, of Frisco, TX, and Ryan Nitz and wife Alicia, of Falmouth, Maine.

Cole loved and was loved by his many nieces and nephews.

It would be remiss not to include all of Cole’s friends, whom he loved most fiercely.

Cole’s mother is putting together a book for his children to include memories of him from his family and friends.  If you would like to contribute, please email your memories to [email protected] or mail them to her at 4611 Hearthside Dr., Lawrence, KS  66049.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 15th at 5:00 p.m., at the Bennington Bible Church, 824 N. Nelson St., Bennington, KS.  Also, that Saturday evening, there will be a celebration of Cole’s life.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund is being established for the Payge and Marley Rodenbeek Educational Fund, please send donations to Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. 8th, Salina, KS.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Cole Darran Rodenbeek, please visit the floral store.