Loretta Mary Cole

Loretta Mary Lange Ake Otwell Cole passed into the arms of her Lord and Savior on January 26,2022 in Fort Worth , Texas. Loretta was born on March 13, 1935 in McAllen, Texas to Frank Fredrick and Jennie Agnes Lange. She graduate from Paschal High School in Fort Worth, Texas in 1953. She graduated from Texas Women's University in Denton Texas with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1989.

If you had the pleasure of knowing Loretta Cole, you know that you had an incredible friend who would bend over backwards for those she cared about, and we are all the lucky ones who got to be part of her life. Loretta had a loving nature, was jovial, and a dedication to connecting with others. It did not matter where she went, she could find someone to talk to and would have a friend for life. She was a storyteller and loved sharing her experiences (and maybe loved sharing others’ experiences, too). When talking to Loretta, either on the phone or in person, it was never quick. If you needed a quick question answered, that was not the conversation you would get with Loretta. She loved to talk, and her stories will be missed.

As much as Loretta loved to talk, shopping may have been even more of her favorite thing. She never found a sale that she could not find something she needed. Her apartment is filled with all her great finds! Which has left her children debating what to do with 20 Styrofoam pumpkins, 85 tinsel snowmen, and ALL the glitter! She loved craft stores almost as much as she loved crafting. The local craft stores should be panicking about their future sales. In fact, when her late husband, Buddy, and her moved back to Fort Worth the Walmart in their old town closed. Her family jokes that she caused that, there may be some truth to the concerns.

It did not matter the occasion; Loretta was always put together. She loved looking nice and never went anywhere without her hair done and lipstick on! She loved getting her nails and hair done at the salon. She loved shopping for new clothes and probably could go an entire year without repeating an outfit. She equally wanted her house to look just as nice. She loved showing everyone around and all the things she had either bought or made to decorate her place. This included her love of plants and having a mini-botanical garden as a patio. She had a green thumb like no one other, rescuing her family’s dead plants back to life was one of her many gifts.

All these reasons are just a few of the many reasons why we love and cherish Loretta. But they are also the reasons why Loretta was always late. She joked she would be late to her own funeral. She always had a million things going on and could not stop to ensure she was on time. She either lost track of time while talking to someone, creating a last-minute crafting masterpiece, shopping, or a combination of all of them. Her family would give her the wrong time for family get-togethers to ensure she would only be a little late.

Loretta had a passion for life and loved having fun. She was always the first to want to go on a boat ride on the lake and the last to want to leave. She always was volunteering her time and could never say no, taking on more than she should. She loved to volunteer at her church and the last two 55 and older communities she lived at. She always started out volunteering and found a way to start running the show. She was always in the middle of something and everything, all the time. She loved getting the opportunity to create the decorations for whatever (big or small) holiday or event that was going on. She held many careers over the years, but teaching was her passion. She loved teaching and sharing her stories with her students.

Most of all, Loretta was a faithful follower of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was devoted to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchild, and all of her dear friends. While we wish Loretta could be here with us today, we are honored to celebrate her wonderful life and the memories we have all shared with her. She truly brought an immense amount of joy and laughter in our world, and we will miss her dearly.

Loretta is survived by two sons and two daughters, Suzi Turner and husband Mike, Chuck Ake and wife Cindy, Sherry Hughes and husband Rob, and Mike Ake and wife Tammy, 9 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was proceeded in death by her husband Otho (Buddy) Ottwell, her Parents Frank and Hennie Lange and her sister June Kolodey.