Jeffrey William Cole

Jeffrey had a remarkable capacity for joy, a sharp wit, a roguish charm, and a passion for travel. Through countless family trips, he shared his fascination with other cultures, histories, and traditions with his beloved son, William. Jeffrey was deeply devoted to his family and friends, generously offering his time, support, and steady presence whenever and wherever needed.

Jeffrey was born on July 29, 1954, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As a young boy, Jeffrey greeted each day with unmistakable joy, often literally humming through breakfast in anticipation of what the day might bring. Yet, even as a child, he possessed a deep sense of right and wrong and was quick to challenge what he thought was unfair.

That commitment to fairness became the defining purpose of Jeffrey’s life. A steadfast champion of justice and the rule of law, Jeffrey devoted his career to pursuing fairness with integrity and conviction. After graduating from the Santa Clara University School of Law, he moved to Anchorage, where he served as Special Prosecutor for the State of Alaska, prosecuting political corruption and high-level white-collar crime.

In 1991, Jeffrey joined the Department of Justice in San Francisco as an Assistant United States Attorney. There, he rose to head the Organized Crime and Drug Task Force and served as lead trial counsel on multiple complex prosecutions involving drug trafficking and public corruption. His work earned him the Department of Justice’s Director’s Award in recognition of his leadership in prosecuting corrupt prison officials.

Outside the courtroom, Jeffrey’s competitive spirit found expression on the rugby field. Having taken up the sport in college, Jeffrey played for the Spenard Green Dragons in Anchorage and later for the San Francisco Irish. A flanker and center, Jeffrey was known for his fearless tackling. The sport suited him well, demanding the same courage, loyalty, and resilience that characterized every aspect of his life.

He married Laura Gonzales in San Francisco on December 13, 2002. Soon after, the couple began a life of international service, relocating to Manila, Philippines, where Jeff served as the Department of Justice Attaché for the United States Embassy. Their son, William, Jeffrey’s greatest joy, was born in Manila on June 22, 2004. The family later relocated to Cairo, where Jeffrey oversaw regional Department of Justice initiatives across the Middle East and North Africa. His leadership and integrity earned national recognition in 2010, when he received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, one of the Department’s highest honors, for his contributions to a major FBI cybercrime investigation.

The family’s next chapter took them to Washington, D.C., where Jeffrey joined the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, supporting complex law enforcement cooperation across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2013, just before the Maidan Revolution, the family was posted to Kyiv, Ukraine, where Jeffrey spearheaded anticorruption initiatives and trained Ukrainian judges and prosecutors. Whether promoting the rule of law abroad or exploring the streets of distant cities with his family, Jeffrey approached the world with curiosity, conviction, and reverence.

Following his time in Ukraine, Jeffrey retired and accompanied his family to Kampala, Uganda, and later to Jakarta, Indonesia, where his wife was posted with the U.S. Agency for International Development. These years gave Jeffrey the opportunity to devote himself more fully to the pursuits he cherished most: exploring far corners of the world and spending time with William.

Jeffrey loved family traditions. Each summer he looked forward to the extended family’s annual trip to the Outer Banks, where he relished shared meals, good wine, and late-night card games, particularly when the cards fell his way. In recent years, Jeffrey made his home in Falls Church, Virginia, finding joy in cooking, planning home renovations, researching the family’s next travel destination, and watching the steady parade of deer, foxes, rabbits, birds, and frogs animate the backyard.

Jeffrey is survived by his wife, Laura Gonzales, his son, William Cole, his brother, Steven Cole, his sisters, Carol Cole and Susan Cole, and his nieces and nephews, Kimberly Cole, Alex Cole, Nicholas Collins, Taylor MacDonald, and Eden Gonzales. He was predeceased by his father, William John Cole, and his mother, Jewell Marie Cole (née Groth).

A Celebration of Life will be held on June 20, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA 22046, (703) 533-0341. A reception will follow from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 2216 Tulip Drive, Falls Church, VA 22046.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to PBS, ASPCA, or Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary in Potomac, Maryland, in honor of Jeffrey’s commitment to informed civic engagement and his compassion for living creatures.

“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.” — Bessie Anderson Stanley