John A. Cole, Sr., of Vicksburg, Miss., died Jan. 1, 2013. He was born Oct. 30, 1930, in Rock Hill, S.C. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Norman and Marie Snyder Cole of Rock Hill and his brother, Malcolm Preston Cole of Lake Mary, Fla. He is survived by his wife, Patsy Ann Pigott Cole of Vicksburg, Miss.; son, John Austin Cole Jr. of Guilderland, N.Y.; daughter, Jeanne Marie Cole Sanders (David Sanders) of Vicksburg; grandsons, Christopher James Sanders and Robert Andrew Sanders of Vicksburg; his brother, Charles Norman Cole Jr., of Temple, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. He graduated from Rock Hill High School, Rock Hill, S.C. in 1948, and from The Citadel, Charleston, S.C., in 1953, with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He did additional graduate study at the University of Illinois. He spent most of his early years in South Carolina, moving to Vicksburg in 1967. He worked as a civil engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts in Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga., and the Lower Mississippi Valley Division/Mississippi River Commission in Vicksburg, retiring in 1989 with 36 years of service. He served in U.S. Army (active and reserve) for over 30 years, including over 12 years in the 412th Engineer Command, Vicksburg, retiring as a colonel. Awards and decorations include National Defense Service Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two devices, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, and Legion of Merit. He was a longtime member of Church of the Holy Trinity (Episcopal), Vicksburg. He served his church in many positions including Sunday school superintendent, vestryman, canvass chairman, and lay Eucharistic minister. He was active in Boy Scouts, as an Eagle Scout and Adult Scouter in Vicksburg, having served as Troop Committee Chairman, Troop 7 for 12 years. He served as district roundtable commissioner, and chairman and vice chairman of the Eagle Scout Review Board. Memberships include Society of American Military Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reserve Officers Association, National Association of the U.S. Army, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, National Defense Transportation Association, Military Officers Association of America (Life Member) and The Citadel Alumni Association (Life Member). A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013, at Church of the Holy Trinity, Vicksburg, preceded by visitation at 10 a.m. in the McInnis Parish House. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the U.S. Army 412th Engineer Command and the Boy Scouts. Committal Services will be at The Citadel in Charleston at a later time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association (http://tinyurl.com/AHA-JohnCole), Boy Scout Troop 7 (607 Longview St., Vicksburg, MS), or The Ring Man¹s Fund at The Citadel (http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Ring-Mans-Fund; 711 Moultrie St., Charleston, SC 29409). Tags: 1953
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