Lawrence Milton Cole, Sr

Tended Newtown’s Flag

For A Decade

Lawrence Milton Cole, Sr, died March 16 in Spring Hill, Fla. A lifelong resident of Sandy Hook prior to his retirement to Florida, Mr Cole was the son of Fredrick William and Letta (Bennett) Cole, whose family lived for 40 years at 8 Pine Street in Sandy Hook.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Smith Cole, whom he married August 22, 1951; his sisters, Shirley Cole Ferris of Newtown, Dorothy Cole Earl of California, and Virginia Cole Wirtes of Florida; his brother, Walter Allen Cole of Bethlehem; a daughter, Barbara Letta Cole of Brookfield; a son, Ronald Mark Cole of Florida; and six grandchildren. Mr Cole was predeceased by a son, Larry, Jr, a victim of childhood leukemia; a sister, Louise Cole Westover; and brothers Fred Charles, Kenneth Warren, and Bruce Waldo Cole.

Mr Cole worked for the Newtown school system for many years in the maintenance department, working his way up to head custodian before retiring. He was sexton at Trinity Church School for several years. He raised the flag on the Main Street flagpole at sunrise each morning and took it down every evening for more than a decade.

Mr Cole was an avid and successful gardener and one of his favorite things about his Florida home was that he could garden year around. His friends will remember him for his ready smile. He was always ready to lend a helping hand.

The Newtown Bee        March 23, 2007