(Hartley)– Hundreds of mourners gathered in Hartley today (Friday) to say goodbye to Army Staff Sergeant Shane Koele who died earlier this month while fighting in Afghanistan.
25-year-old Koele was assigned to the 212th Military Police Company based in Germany. He died on March 16th from injuries suffered the day before when a land mine exploded near his humvee.
Koele was awarded several medals posthumously by Brigadier General Robert Pollman of the 420th Engineer Brigade out of Texas. The bronze star and purple heart were among the metals Pollman presented to Koele’s family.
Staff Sergeant Jon French of Germany was a close friend of Koele who went through basic training together. French says he knew Koele personally and professionally. He says Koele loved his family more than anything…especially his daughter and wife.
Koele leaves behind his wife Cheryl and three-month-old daughter Kiley, along with his mom Mary Donnerwerth of Hartley and dad Keith Koele of Fonda.
Koele graduated from Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School in 1998. He went on to college at Northwestern in Orange City and Wayne State University in Wayne, Nebraska.
(Story from Danielle Hitchings of sister station KDWD Hot 100 in Spencer.).
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