Robert Gordon Cole, Sr

Engineering Industry Expert

Robert Gordon Cole, Sr, 94, of Newtown, previously a Bridgeport resident for 52 years, died April 27, at Lord Chamberlain Health Care. He was the devoted husband of the late Virginia Langley Cole who passed away in 2009. Mr Cole was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.

He was educated in the Brooklyn Technical High School and the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute.

During the war he was a US Army Air Corps and RAF pilot. He became a career employee of Burndy Corporation. He retired in 1983 and was called back as a consultant for four years. Later, he established his own consulting business in the field of fire prevention, emergency action, and evacuation. Mr Cole was president of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Plant Engineers 1972 to 1973, Plant Engineer of the Year 1980 to 1981, president of the Nutmeg Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers, and author of industrial handbooks and reports. He was president of the United Nichols Church Men’s Club, two-year Master of Ashlar Lodge #124, a 32 degree mason, and member of the Scottish Rite and Pyramid Temple Shriner.

He is survived by daughters, Virginia Cole Metters and her husband, John, and Barbara Cole Piccirillo and her husband, Lawrence; a son, Robert G. Cole, Jr, and his wife, Candie; a sister, Jane B. Cole of Newtown; four grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

Funeral services were May 3

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa FL 33607 or shrinershq.org/hospitals.

For online condolences, visit www.dennisanddarcy.com.

The Newtown Bee        May 7, 2010