PAMELA DENISE "PAM" HENKEL

PAMELA "PAM" DENISE (COLE) HENKEL, 74, died on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017, in Moline, Ill. She was a mother, grandmother, hairdresser and fiercely competitive Scrabble player. Born Sept. 16, 1943, in Knightsville Ind., Pam was the daughter of Raymond and Hazel Cole. This date became a family legend; her birth certificate and all legal records stated her birthdate as the 10th. The doctor's poor penmanship was transcribed as a "10" instead of "16" and despite Hazel's best efforts, it was never corrected. Pam's mischievous sense of humor saw the clerical error as an opportunity to celebrate two birthdays each year; and so it was recognized every year by her family as her "legal" and "real" birthdays. Pam saw her best accomplishments in her children and grandchildren. She felt great pride that all of her children shared her curiosity, dedication to loved ones and infallible (sometimes wicked) sense of humor. Pam was never comfortable in the spotlight and in large groups of people was often shy, however even when trying to fade into the wallpaper, the two things Pam never could suppress were her beautiful smile and an infectious giggle (usually at the most inappropriate time). Her grandchildren all remember watching old movies, "I Love Lucy" and learning to orchestrate practical jokes from their "Grammie". Her grandkids love to reminisce about planting a fake pen that delivered an electric shock next to a pad of paper and a scrabble board. They all delighted in hearing her reaction over an intercom when she fell into their trap and picked up the pen. A hairdresser for almost 40 years, Pam was often seen in the kitchen cutting, coloring or perming some friend or family member so they wouldn't have to spend the money. She was an integral force in bringing all of her family together and building those relationships and memories. Holiday dinners were her tradition with a beautifully set table and china, never paper plates. She was a key figure at annual family reunions always bringing her volleyball net and bucket of fried chicken under her arm. Pam is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Joyce and Mark Looman of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Jennifer and Erik Miner of Indianapolis, Ind.; and seven grandchildren, Adam, Nick, Evan, Jake, Molly, Abby, and Jackson. She was preceded in death by her son, Robert Bandy. Pam will be remembered for her wit and passion for Scrabble, crosswords and card games. She will however always be remembered most for how much she loved her family. A private celebration of life will be held by family in the Spring. Condolences may be sent to 1440 Broadway St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to IndyKids, PO Box 2281, New York, NY 10163.