Fay C. Cole

Of Arlington Heights

Fay Cole, July 11, 1930 – June 18, 2021, passed away peacefully on June 18 at age 90, after several months of increasingly painful and debilitating peripheral artery disease affecting her legs. She was supported and comforted throughout her illness by many kind nurses and care givers at the Moorings and Heartland Hospice.

Fay grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, the older of two children of Dee Perkins (Perk) and Vera Cobb. She attended Maine Township High School, where she met Joe Cole and later married in 1952 after she graduated from Duke University. There she became a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, an affiliation whose alumnae groups brought her friendships and joy for the rest of her life.

Fay was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, Rolling Green Country Club (where she was an avid bridge player long after she gave up golf), and the Kappa Alpha Theta alumnae group in the Northwest Suburbs and Naples, Florida. She was loyal and attentive to her friends from all phases of her life. During the last several years when she lived at the Moorings, she enjoyed getting to know new friends including members of the staff. She was known for remembering their names and details about their families, their histories, and in the case of younger staff, their goals and ambitions.

Fay took pride in her appearance and was known for her carefully curated wardrobe. She enjoyed shopping as a social activity. During the pandemic, she learned to use Zoom, which facilitated several memorable calls with her children during a time when personal visits were not possible. This included a call in 2020 to celebrate her 90th birthday attended by all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Fay was married to her beloved husband Joe Cole for 55 years until his death in 2008. She modeled for the family, loyalty, integrity, faithfulness, sacrificial love, and generosity in her marriage, and in all aspects of her life. After Joe’s death, she demonstrated resilience and perseverance, as she lived a very active, independent life despite her sorrow and heartbreak.

Fay is survived by her three children, Jeff Cole, Cindy Koerner, and Tom Cole, and their respective spouses, Susan Cole, Chip Hussey, and Kim Cole. Fay is also survived by her grandchildren Cynthia Souza, Christina Cole, Jamie Davis, Bradley Koerner, Jenna Kwit, Tara Nikodem, and Jonathon Cole, their respective spouses and significant others, and by her four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her brother Dave. She will be greatly missed but vividly remembered by her family and all who knew her.

A memorial service and reception honoring Fay’s life will be held on September 11, 2021, at 2:30 pm, at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights. Those unable to attend the memorial service in person can view the service online at www.firstpresah.org.

Anyone wishing to make a donation in her honor is encouraged to contribute to First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, 302 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 60004, (www.firstpresah.org) or The New Hope Scholarship Fund at The Moorings for providing college scholarships for staff, (www.presbyterianhomes.org/geneva-foundation), 8707 Skokie Blvd., Suite 400, Skokie, IL 60077.