Marvin Glenn Cole

Marvin Glenn Cole was born at home in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, on November 18, 1926, the youngest of Sutton and Glennie Stewart Cole’s nine children. His family owned a farm and a cane syrup mill and traveled by wagon until he was seven years old. The first time he left Bienville Parish was in high school when he took the train to Baton Rouge to attend Louisiana Boy’s State.

He graduated from Gibsland High School at the top of his class. At the urging of his sisters, he moved with them to Shreveport and began working for Kansas City Southern Railway in 1943.

In the waning years of WWII Marvin enlisted in the US Navy and was assigned to the newly formed Data Processing department in California. When he returned to Shreveport 1946, he became the IBM supervisor at Kansas City Southern. He married Shirley Kay Lott Singley on January 31, 1951, and they had their first daughter, Gay.

He answered an advertisement in the Shreveport Times, was hired by Murphy Oil Corporation, and moved the family to El Dorado, Arkansas, where his second daughter, Sheen, was born.

At Murphy he was instrumental in the integration of computer technology for business operations management. In 1970 he established Professional Data Service which provided information technology services to small and mid-sized businesses. He also initiated remote work for his employees needing flexible hours. As a result of his innovation and work in data processing, he received state recognition.

He retired from Murphy Oil in 1988 and joined New York Life for several years as an agent in El Dorado.

When they moved to El Dorado, he and Shirley became members of the First Baptist Church. He was a devoted member for 70 years and served as a Deacon starting in 1980.

Both Marvin and his wife loved travel. They would load the family into the car and drive across Texas and New Mexico to Arizona, the Dakotas, Montana, and ski trips at Christmas. After the girls left home, they attended over twenty Elder Hostels. These travels included Europe, Africa, and the Galapagos.

Though Shirley was the more devoted player, she and Marvin played tennis. He enjoyed woodworking and always stayed active. He took pride in keeping up an average of 3000 steps a day, even at 98. Everyone who knew Marvin described him as a kind, sincere, and endearing person, perhaps his greatest achievement.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Shirley; his parents; his eight siblings; and his grandson Cole Bechtelheimer.

He is survived by his daughters Gay Bechtelheimer (Russ) and Sheen Watkins (Dave), his grandson Trey Bechtelheimer (Lisa) and his great grandchildren Sloane and Rob, many nieces and nephews, and his dear friends Morgan and Paula Huffman. The family is grateful for the loving care given by Ms. Shirley Gray.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025 at the First Baptist Church. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Young's Funeral Directors.

Memorials may be made to the Cole Logan Bechtelheimer Scholarship at UCCF, 101 West Main Street, Suite 506, El Dorado, or the First Baptist Church.

Condolences can be expressed online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com for the Cole family.