Returning the favor, Former GF couple gives $2,000 they received from ‘The Angel’

Every single donation – big or small, cash or kind – that poured in to the Alerus Center on Tuesday was equally important, but at least one stood sharply distinct from the rest.

That was a check of $2,000 received by post from Duane and Evelyn Cole, who now live in Bend, Ore. A brief message accompanied the check.

“Enclosed is a check for the Rally for Relief. This is the $2,000 we received in 1997 from Ms. (Joan) Kroc. We hope that this will help another family like it helped us. Good luck in your fund raising,” said the letter signed by the couple and dated Sept. 23.

The letter and donation revived memories of the 1997 flood and “The Angel” Joan Kroc.

The widow of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, Joan donated $15 million to the recovery efforts in the form of $2,000 for every family affected. She died of brain cancer in October 2003.

The Coles lived in Grand Forks for several decades before moving to Oregon a few years ago.

Duane retired as associate professor of physics from UND in 1999. That same year, Evelyn, a library associate at Chester Fritz Library, was honored for 25 years of service at UND.