James Frederick Cole

Raleigh, NC – James Frederick Cole 71 of Woods Ream Drive Raleigh, NC and formerly of Bluefield died Monday April 21, 2014 in a Raleigh, NC hospital. Born December 14, 1942 he was a son William Paul Cole, Sr. and Harriet Foote Cole. Paternal grandparents were William Jacob Cole and Mary Holbrook Cole, and Maternal grandparents Frederick Norman Foote and Nora Thompson Foote. He attended Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bluefield, WV and graduated from Bluefield High School in 1960, attended Marshall College (later Marshall University) from 1960 – 1962, then he attended Appalachian Bible Institute during the fall semester of 1962. He began working summers at Cole Baking Company in 1958 and after the death of his father he began working at Cole Motor Company in January of 1966. Upon the death of his mother in 1969 he also began helping Edna Smith take care of foster children. He simultaneously took classes and graduated Bluefield State College. In 1988 he moved with the Smith family to Raleigh, NC where he became a substitute teacher at Wake County Schools from 1990 – 2013. During his Raleigh stay, he took classes at North Carolina State and St. August. He was also an accomplished pianist and organist at both Cokesbury United Methodist Church and Jenkins United Methodist Church in Raleigh. Jim enjoyed dancing, photography, and history. Jim played in many local churches where he made countless friends. Survivors include his brother, William Paul Cole, Jr. and his wife Carol of Bluefield, WV, nephews Senator William Paul Cole, III and his wife Brownie, Charles McHugh Cole and his wife Terri, Thomas Jacob Cole all of Bluefield, as well as great nieces and nephews, adopted sister Sevealyn Smith of Raleigh, NC, foster children Lolita S. Chapman and her husband William, Glenda J. Smith and Linda H. Lee and her husband John, Matt Young and his wife Charlene all of Raleigh, NC, foster grandchildren as well as God children. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday April 26, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. at Immanuel Lutheran Church at 2:00 P.M. with Rev. Terry Edwards, Rev. James Palmer, Dr. Felicia Williams and Rev. Garry Moore officiating. Entombment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Princeton, WV where nephews Jason Cole, Lee Cole, Chaz Cole, Will Cole, Christian Cole, Cameron Cole and Jacob Cole and foster son Matt Young will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to service time. Donations in his memory may be made to The Wade Center, P.O. Box 777, Bluefield, WV 24701. Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory of Bluefield is serving the Cole family.

James Frederick Cole

December 12, 1942 - April 21, 2014