Richard Cole

Richard was born in Austin on January 20th, 1959, to parents Thurston & Ruth Cole. He went to Travis High School and came out as a gay man during his later teenage years. After high school, he attended Southwest School of Electronics in Austin. He held positions at Westinghouse, IBM, and several other technical companies throughout his twenties and thirties. In his mid to late thirties, he gave up traditional employment and moved back into his childhood home in South Austin to take care of his elderly parents for the remainder of their long lives.

Richard was quite a large man with a personality to match. From the '70s forward, he unabashedly fought for his rights as a gay man and the rights of others in the LGBTQ community. He served as a protector for those who could not protect themselves from discrimination and violence while always providing a safe space for the denied.

In the last 5 years, after decades of battling obesity and a near-death hospital stretch, Richard embarked on a new personal journey to fight for himself. He became employed at Austin Energy and soon gained the respect and love from his fellow team members. He had surgery, joined LA Fitness, hired personal trainers, shed 200lbs., and was eagerly moving forward with this new phase in his life. He was a true inspiration due to his dedication in both the gym and at work. Richard will always be remembered as a fighter, an avid sports fan, and for making our world so much more vibrant and colorful.

Richard is preceded in death by his parents and older sister, Joyce. A Celebration of Richard's life is scheduled for Sunday June 25th from 12-3pm at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N Lamar Blvd Austin, TX 78752. All are welcome to attend, share your stories, and dine on street tacos!

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Austin Pride Foundation:

https://austinpride.org/product/one-time-donation/

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com for the Cole family.