Services for Mary Jo Leona Nelson Post Cole, 71, of Fairmont, Minn., formerly of Mantorville, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont. A private family burial will be held at a later date. Visitation will be one hour prior to the time of service.  Mary Jo passed away peacefully Monday morning, Oct. 31, 2016, at her home in Fairmont, following a short battle with cancer.  The Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements. Mary Jo Leona Nelson Post Cole was born on March 12, 1945, in Hutchinson, Minn., the daughter of Elmer and Leona H. (Murtaugh) Nelson Sr.  Mary Jo grew up in Mantorville,  where she received her education. On Aug. 6, 1965, Mary Jo was united in marriage to Lambert M. Post at the First Congregational Church in Mantorville.  Together the couple made their home on a farm near Mantorville. Mary Jo was an extremely active member of the Mantorville community. She enjoyed the time she spent being a member of the Mantorville Restoration Association and served as chairman of Mantorville Marigold Days for many years. She was a long -standing member of the First Congregational Church in Mantorville. Following Lambert's passing, Mary Jo was blessed to find love again when she met and later married Willis "Bill" Cole on Sept. 23, 2001, in rural Mantorville. Together, the couple would spend the next 15 years traveling to Hawaii, Alaska, Ireland and many thousands of miles throughout the United States. Mary was a nationally certified art teacher, teaching classes out of her home and traveled, teaching at seminars. She cherished time spent with family and friends and treasured the opportunity to be a stepmom, grandma and great-grandma to all of Bill's family. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Willis "Bill" Cole, of Fairmont; stepchildren, Kevin Cole and his wife, Marla, of Fairmont, Scott Cole and his wife, Mary, of Welcome, Minn., and Byron Cole and his wife, Rita, of Kasson; seven grandchildren, Matthew (Zephanie) Cole, Brian Cole, Allen (Lexi) Cole, Andrew Cole, Daniel Cole, Amanda Cole and McKenzie Cole; two great-grandchildren Maddison and Karsyn; stepmother, Marion Nelson, of West Liberty, Iowa; brothers, Elmer "Ole" Nelson and his wife, Grace, of Gainsville, Fla., Albert Nelson and his wife, Dorothy of Cambridge, Minn., Rick Olive and his wife, Sue, of Mantorville, Harold Nelson, of Silverton, Ore., Leonard Nelson and his wife, Mary Sue, of Des Moines, Iowa, Gene Nelson and his wife, Brenda of Iowa City, Iowa, and Vania Kirkpatrick and her husband, Leo, of West Liberty; sisters-in-law, Alice Gies and husband Bill, of Fairmont and Beverly Ceaglske and husband Norman, of Braham, Minn.; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Leona Nelson; first husband, Lambert "Mickey" Post; brother, Norman Nelson; a still-born baby brother; as well as numerous in-laws and extended family. The family requests memorials be given in Mary Jo's name to Mayo Clinic Hospice-Fairmont, First Congregational Church of Mantorville, or a hospice center of your choice. Online condolences can be made at lakeviewfuneralhome.net