Charles W. Cole OBITUARY

Charles W. Cole June 29, 1930 – August 8, 2015 Charles William Cole (Charlie) died peacefully at home in Tiburon, California at the age of 85. Charlie was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1930 to Frances Irene Thorson and Harry Michael Cole. He grew up in Glenview, Illinois and graduated in 1947 from Chicago’s Loyola High School where he varsity lettered in football and track, and was nationally recognized. He attended Marquette University before he received a Congressional appointment from Illinois to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in 1949. Charlie was in the 6th Battalion at Annapolis and starred as a sprinter on the Navy track and field team. GO NAVY! He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1953 with a major in Engineering. Upon graduation, he joined the United States Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colorado in their new pilot training program because he wanted to fly jets! After he earned his wings, he was on the faculty of the Air Force Academy as an Air Training Officer from 1955 to1957. In 1956, Charlie met and married his first wife, Anne Leicham from Merced, California who was based in Denver with United Airlines. Charlie received his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1963. He was an Air Force pilot, where he flew the F-86 Sabre Jet and the first supersonic fighter jet the F-100 Super Saber. He was deployed to Vietnam as a Defense Intelligence Specialist in 1967. For his expertise and bravery, he was awarded two Bronze Stars and many other service medals during his career. Over the span of his 21-year military career, Charlie lived with his family in Hawaii, Colorado, Ohio and Maryland and they travelled extensively. Lt. Colonel Cole retired from the military in 1973 and moved to Tiburon to be closer to his grown children where he remained for 42 years. He was pre-deceased by his first wife, Anne in 1983 and by his second wife, Corliss Osborne White in 2008. He kept active as an investor and money manager for the remainder of his life. Charlie had a gregarious personality and a love for travel and adventure, cherished his children and grandchildren and his fantastic panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay, which he never wanted to leave! Charlie is survived by his son J. Michael Cole, Michael’s wife Anna; his daughter Suzanne Cole Kohlberg and her husband Jim; six grandchildren, including two sets of twins: Tom, Ryan and Kevin Cole of Los Altos/San Francisco, California, and Casey, Madeleine and Charlotte Kohlberg of Portola Valley, California; and his siblings J. Steven, Thomas, and Marylin Cole Kennedy; and his nieces Colleen Glander and Meghan Andersen and nephew Eugene Kennedy. Memorial services with full military honors will be conducted at Golden Gate National Cemetery at 1:45 PM on August 20th, 2015 with interment immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please donate to either Veteran charity: Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund: 1-800-340-HERO(4376) or www.fallenheroesfund.org Hereos’ Voices (helping veterans through music): 415-484-9852 or www.heroesvoices.org