Obituary of Raymond M. Cole

Raymond M. Cole, passed away on January 14, 2009, after a brief struggle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of fifty-eight years, Nancy; son, John; and parents, Raymond Cole Sr. & Marie Cooper. He is survived by sons, Edd Cole & wife Gail, Bill Cole & wife Ann, and Charles Cole; daughter, Nance Reynolds & husband Mark, daughter-in-law Lee Ann Cole; sister, Jean Scaramuzzo; brothers, Bill Cole, Don Cole, Bob Cole, and Rick Cooper; grandchildren, Shawn Stringer, Caroline Cole, Brian Cole, Christopher Reynolds, Jessica Cargill, Sara Merrell, Jay Snocker, Sean Dugan, and Megan Dugan; six great-grandchildren; and many other family & friends. Ray was born on May 2, 1921 in Forth Worth, Texas. He graduated from San Jacinto High School in Houston and attended the University of Houston and Rice University. He proudly served the United States in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and received a Purple Heart and a US Combat Medal. After the war, he joined his wife and family in Odessa. He was the General Manager of the Odessa American for 46 years until his retirement in 1991. He was a member of Odessa Rotary Club, Odessa Heritage Organization, Knights of Columbus, and Odessa Country Club and served on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Odessa. He loved golf, music, hunting, family, and good food. Ray was the recipient of the 1991 Heritage of Odessa Foundation Award for Media. He was the choir director for many years at St. Mary Catholic Church in Odessa and later became a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church when that parish was established. Visitation for Raymond will be held on Monday, January 19, 2009, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm followed by a Prayer Service at 7:00 pm at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 7601 N. Grandview Avenue, Odessa, Texas 79765. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, at 10:00 am with Father Mark Woodruff officiating. Interment will immediately follow at Sunset Cemetery, Odessa, Texas.