James Robert (Jim) Cole lost his hard-fought battle with cancer. He passed away on August 15, 2022. He was born September 10, 1935 in the DeTar Hospital, Victoria, Texas, to Ella Mae Bandy Cole and Paul McKinley Cole.
Although he traveled the world, he always returned to where he started. Victoria was home.
During his childhood, he lived with his mother and sister in the old railroad hotel, the Traveler’s Hotel.
He attended Mitchell School, Patti Welder High School (1953) and Victoria Junior College (1955). From the age of 13 to 19, he worked for the Victoria Advocate, delivering newspapers on his bike and working up to being a route manager. He went on to the University of Houston and graduated in 1959. He was named Outstanding Engineering Student of that year.
He returned to Victoria to work for Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, (LAN) Consulting Engineers, beginning as a draftsman. He retired 40 years later, after serving as the President of LAN in Houston. He had traveled the world working on engineering projects, and was ready to return home to Victoria.
It wasn’t long before yet another vocation intrigued him. He tried his hand at writing and soon discovered that people enjoyed reading his stories. His articles and stories have been published in the Houston Chronicle, and the Victoria Advocate, and several thousand copies of his books have been sold.
And, finally, if you knew Jim, you knew he was a fisherman, especially in the Gulf waters near Rockport, Cedar Bayou, and Indianola. Rest in peace, Jim, and catch the big one!
Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Marian Crawford Cole; son David Corben Cole; daughter Julia Cole Guerra (Joyce Latiolais); four grandchildren Jessica Cole Guerra, Patrick Cole Guerra, Madeline Susan Cole, and Austin David Cole; sister Linda Gayle Cole; nieces, nephews and cherished friends.
Memorial service will be Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 10:30 am at Rosewood Funeral Chapel.
To share a fond memory visit www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
