Henrietta (Nicholas) Cole Hartwig

Henrietta (Nicholas) Cole Hartwig went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on 9/1/24 after suffering a brief illness.

Henrietta was born to Clive and Esther Nicholas February 5th, 1940. She was one of four children: Mary, Sarah, and twin brother Samuel Henry. Her father worked in the oil fields and growing up they moved around a bit but eventually settled in Kingman, KS.

It was in Kingman that she met her “posse” of lifelong friends Fran, Judy, Joleene, Ruthie, Donna, and Diane. This group had many adventures and stuck together throughout their lives. Though over the years the group has shrank a bit, friendships endure to this day. From there she attended Pratt Community College and played on the tennis team. Eventually she met Roy Cole and they were married. They settled in Towanda, KS and had two boys Roy (Bud) and Tom. She was an x-ray technologist and after Roy’s death in 1975 she studied to become a Nuclear Medicine Technologist, a vocation she continued to practice for 30+ years.

In 1977 she married Lewis Hartwig. They moved to El Dorado and began a marriage that would last for 35 years until Lew’s death in 2012. `

Friendships, gratitude, and caring for others was a constant thread throughout her life and the number of lives she touched and had a positive effect on were innumerable. Henri never met a stranger, and could strike up a conversation with anyone, much to the chagrin of her sons growing up. She was always on the move helping those who needed it, forging the deep bonds of friendship that few people ever experience. Whether caring for sick friends, or volunteering in the kid’s ministry at church, service was a passion.

Henrietta loved games. Tennis, pickleball, bowling, and playing cards but she truly loved “Spicy Farkle.“ Whenever there was a get together with family or friends you could count on her to try to get a game started. She was also occasionally known to play a slot machine or two. She also enjoyed fishing, and it was common to hear her chant “come on grand daddy” while trying to coax bigger fish to her lure.

Above all she loved her family. She was a passionate advocate for each of her sons, daughter in-laws and grandchildren as well as her nieces, nephews and their children. For those she has left behind she will be truly and sorely missed……….

Henrietta is reunited with her father, Clive; mother, Esther; sisters, Mary and Sarah; twin brother, Samuel Henry; husbands, Roy Cole and Lewis Hartwig; and stepson Greg Hartwig. Those left to carry on her memory include her sons Bud and Tom, daughters in laws; Ann and Kristy, stepson; Brian Hartwig, grandchildren; Jonathan, Gabe, Hannah, Elizabeth, Luke, Isabelle, Cody and Dalton Hartwig, and nieces and nephews spread from Arkansas to Washington.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with NewSpring Church Kid's Ministry, 12200 E. 21st St. N., Wichita, KS 67206.