John Jackson Cole

John J. Cole, 87 of Rochester Michigan passed away Friday, November 27, 2020. He was born at home May 26, 1933 in Waynesboro Tennessee and moved to the Detroit Michigan area in 1943. John graduated from Pershing High School in 1952. He married his High School Sweetheart Grace L. Springer in 1955 and is survived by his wife, three sons Mark, Chris and his wife Christine and Eric and his wife Veronica, five grandchildren Stacy, Steven, Bryan, Megan and Sean, five great grandchildren Chase, Brixton, Jack, Murphy and Kingsly, He is preceded in death by his parents Earnest and Alma, his brother Douglas and his wife Mary, his Sister Marjorie, and his granddaughter Jacklyn.

John was a proud member of the United States Air Force from 1952-56 where he became an electronics technician supporting aircraft RADAR systems. His military training led to a successful career as an electronics and computer engineer for Bendix and later the United States Geological Survey where he was a member of a small mapping team that successfully landed the Viking 1 and 2 Probes on Mars in 1976. John also supported the Department of Defense and the National Intelligence Community supporting the equipment used to produce global topographical maps.

John enjoyed building furniture and doing his own home improvements long before there was a Lowes or Home Depot. He never stopped learning and working on projects both large and small from computers, videography to woodworking and most recently, cooking. He became a small business owner, at the age of 77 fulfilling a lifelong dream. He was a dedicated and loving family man who navigated life always with an eye for benefitting others.

Due to the pandemic, there will be a private burial service for immediate family only will be held at the National Military Cemetery at Quantico Virginia at 10AM on Monday, December 7, 2020. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one of the following: the American Heart Association, Feeding America, or the Rochester Fire Department.