Cole, Thomas Eugene

July 19, 1921 - November 01, 2009

On Sunday, November 1st, 2009 our beloved, Eugene Cole of Beckley went home to be with his Lord. He was in his 88th year. Born Thomas Eugene Cole on July 19, 1921, on the Winding Gulf, “Gene,” as he was affectionately known all his life was the 4th of 9 children born to the late Thomas Ransom and Mary Alma Dodd Cole. Sisters, Violet Cole, Vivian Sheridan, Eunice Dean and brothers, Paul, Nick and Paige Cole also preceded him in death. Gene spent his childhood on the Winding Gulf and was a graduate of Collins High School. He entered World War II serving in the Army Air Corps. His plane, a B24 was shot down over Germany on his 23rd mission. He was a Prisoner of War for 14 months. After the war, Gene returned to Beckley. Working for family members who were in the carpentry business, he honed his skills and opened Cole’s Cabinet Shop on Central Avenue. A well respected businessman, he was known for excellence in his workmanship. Homes and businesses alike carry the legacy of his work throughout Beckley and the surrounding area. Gene was in business for 30 years. An active member of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church for many years, he was a former Sunday school teacher. Gene loved to hunt; trap and skeet shot and was a member of the Dawn Sportsman Club at Hinton. He held memberships in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans Associations. Eugene Cole was a patriot. Duty, Honor, Country was his mainstays. He flew the American flag daily. Over the years he kept in touch with his Army buddies and crew members who were POWs. He once hosted a reunion in Beckley for nearly a hundred of his comrades. Sadly he is the last survivor of his crew mates. In addition to the Cole family he was preceded in death by his cherished wife, Zona in 2000. Gene was the dear father of Carolyn Philpott and her husband Sam of Beckley; the doting Pop Pop of Molly Philpott of Charlotte, NC; the very special friend of Elizabeth Jennings of Beckley; the fond brother of Norma Coiner of Cleveland, Ohio, Martha Bane of South Charleston, and Garnett Fink and her husband Edward of St. Albans; the good brother-in-law, of Leoda Cole of Swannanoa, NC; several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 4th at 2:00 pm in the Melton Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Michael King officiating. Entombment will follow in the Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum in Beckley. The family will receive friends from 1:00 pm until the hour of the services. The family suggests donations of sympathy can be made to the Disabled American Veterans.