On December 13, 2022, Richard P. (Dick) Cole of Mill Village passed away at the age of 83 in the house he built surrounded by those that loved him. Even though Dick always lived on Smith Road (from birth until his final moments), he lived a full life.
Dick graduated from Fort LeBoeuf in 1957 and enlisted in the Army in 1959 at the age of 20. He was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant and decorated veteran after serving six and a half years, later enlisting in the National Guard.
When Dick met Susie in 1971, he had 4 children- 3 girls and 1 boy, and she had 2 girls of her own. They blended their families together, and soon had 3 more girls. This gave them enough children to staff their restaurant, which opened in 1984. If you ever had the opportunity to grab a coffee, donut, or piece of peanut butter pie at the restaurant you probably got the pleasure of meeting a Cole sister. Cole’s Family Restaurant was a staple in Union City until they turned over the keys in 1998 to enjoy “retired” life. Even though Dick claimed to be retired, he worked at Jake’s On The Park in Waterford until he was 81.
When he was not at Jake’s, Dick volunteered for the Erie County Veterans’ Honor Guard and participated in hundreds of funerals honoring the memory of our area’s veterans. Dick also held many offices at The American Legion Post 237 in Union City, working his way up to Post Commander and President of the Home Association. He was also a member of the Eureka Masonic Lodge Number 366, Shriner’s, and Scottish Rite. In his free time, Dick took great joy in maintaining his 6 acres on Smith Road, gardening, spending time with his family, and having “2” beers at The Legion.
He is survived by his wife, Susie Cole; his children, Kimberly Leemhuis (John), Danny Cole (Tara), Patricia Cole (Michael), Patty Cornett (Patrick), Susanna Welchance, Paula Cousins (James), Brenda Donahue (Zeb), and April Cole; brothers Ralph, Ray, and Bob; and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Mabel Donaldson; father, Melvin Cole; daughter, Jackie Smallwood; brother, Don Cole; and sister, Louise Cole.
Friends may call at Van Matre Funeral Home in Waterford on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm, and may attend funeral services there Saturday morning at 10:00 am. Burial with military honors will follow at LeBoeuf Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Paula S. Cousins Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer Foundation Inc., or Paula’s Promise.
Kim,
Sorry to hear of your dad’s passing.
So sorry for the loss of such a big-hearted man. He would do anything for anyone. Always enjoyed seeing him at Jakes and will not be the same without him there. Such a hard worker who never stopped moving. He will be missed by many!!
To the Cole family. The officers and veteran members of The American Legion 29th. District offer our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Dan was outstanding in his efforts for our American Legion veterans and programs. Dan will be missed.
I will miss all the joking and loving moment of the second dad I had. I will miss asking who let you out of your cage. You always had that wonderful smile and a guilty look that normally followed by my dads guilty smile.
So sorry for your family’s loss. I am praying for your family.