Don Evans Cole

Don Evans Cole Gladewater -- Don Evans Cole departed his earthly family and joined his heavenly family on Saturday, August 04, 2012, at approximately 9:00 P.M. Don was born in Dallas to his parents Frank M. and Lenora Grace (Evans) Cole on February 10, 1932. Don was the youngest of seven children born to Mr. and Ms. Cole. All have predeceased him. Mr. and Ms. Cole, with children in tow, moved to Swamp City, just outside Gladewater, when Don was young. Don attended the public schools of Gladewater, graduating in 1950. While in high school, Don was an honor student, an outstanding athlete in multiple sports, and voted "Most Handsome Boy of Gladewater High School" (an honor Don relished telling). Upon graduation from high school, Don was selected to play in the Texas High School All Star Football Game. In the fall of 1950, Don entered SMU on a football scholarship. During his football career at SMU, Don played both offensive center and defensive linebacker. During college, Don participated in ROTC, and upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Air Force as a First Lieutenant. In the Air Force, he chose to become a fighter jet pilot. Upon completion of flight training, a truce had been called in the Korean Conflict so Don never saw combat duty. However, he was stationed in Korea for some time, serving as a peace-keeper with his fighter jet. Upon leaving the Air Force as a Captain, Don worked for Tom Thumb and Safeway, two different grocery store chains in Dallas in their real estate development departments. It was Don"s responsibility to study the demographics of various site locations and prepare a feasibility report on establishing a store at the given location. If the site was chosen for development, Don oversaw the construction, from initial dirt movement to the store"s Grand Opening. After several years with the grocery store chains, Don moved to Avery, Texas, and became a rancher, raising Semimetal cattle. He also engaged in real estate and real estate development. It was during this time that Don and different partners developed several strip malls in Dallas. After several years in Avery, Don moved to Murchison, Texas, and then to New York, Texas. Upon his wife"s death in 2003, Don moved to Athens where he continued to reside until his death. Don married Betty Sue Birdwell of Cushing, Texas. They never had children, but Don was always involved with kids. While at Avery, he was a member of the school board, worked with the livestock show association, and was appointed to fill the unexpired term of a county commissioner. When he moved to Murchison, and then on to New York, he continued to be involved in real estate and his love for kids continued. He became involved in multiple youth activities. When he moved to Athens, he became a member of the Scholarship Committee for the Henderson County Livestock Show Association. Don"s love for his family, country, friends, SMU, God, and the youth of his communities was great. He was the one who always wanted to be doing for them, and not them doing for him. Don joined the Methodist Church of Gladewater as a youth. His membership remained with the Methodist Church of Gladewater his entire lifetime, but he regularly attended and participated in Methodist churches wherever he lived. Don was predeceased by his parents and all of his brothers and sisters. He is survived by one sister-in-law, Jean Cole of Oklahoma, multiple nieces and nephews on the Cole side, and many, many brothers-and-sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews, on his wife"s side of the family, along with many friends, some of whom were acquired in his youth, and some of whom were acquired as recently as a few weeks ago. Funeral and memorial services are scheduled for Don Evans Cole at the Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater, Texas, on Wednesday, August 15, 2012. Visitation is scheduled at the Croley Funeral Home of Gladewater for 2:00 P.M., with services to celebrate the life of Don Cole to follow at 3:00 P.M., also at the Croley Funeral Home. Interment will be in Rock Springs Cemetery near Don"s boyhood home at Swamp City. The Croley Funeral Home is located on the right (east) side of Highway 271, one block north of the intersection of Highway 271 and Highway 80. The family and friends of Don Cole would like to thank the Texas Veterans Administration, the United States Veterans Administration, the floor staff of Park Highlands Nursing Home, and IntegraCare Hospice (both of Athens) for the love and care each provided Don.