Lonnie Ray Cole

Lonnie Ray Core was born March 2, 1941, in the then Standard Oil rich hills of Avenal, CA, to William and Virginia Cole. Lonnie passed February 4. 2022. Lonnie was four years old when his dad passed at the age of 83 in Clovis, CA. He and his older brother, Bill, happily roamed the Avenal hills on their bikes. "Eddie" Winters, his subsequent stepfather, relocated the family of three young boys {Bill, Lonnie, Nike} to southern California when Lonnie was nine years old. The remainder of his childhood was spent in the Los Angeles area where his allegiance to his Dodgers began. He was employed by the telephone company and as a postman before returning to the San Joaquin Valley to complete his teaching credential at 'Fresno State. Fresno remained his home.

Lonnie's big character exuded a zest for life, an ever-present sense of humor, a resilient positive spirit, and endless energy for conversation. He loved to teach, bowl, follow sports, drive his car to explore new places, play blackjack, read espionage novels, discuss politics and sports, enjoy Hallmark movies, tell jokes, spend time with family, ------and talk!

Lonnie was an elementary, middle, and high school teacher with Firebaugh Unified School District for fifteen years (1969-1984). He nurtured memorable friendships with his Firebaugh colleagues, students and community. He organized and chaperoned three educational European tours for Firebaugh High School students. He transferred to Fresno Unified School District, where he taught an additional eighteen years at Mclane High School as a Resource Specialist (1984-2002). His Master's Degree in Special Education was earned while at Mclane High.

His experience with and love for both sports and working with youth led to coaching high school girls' basketball and volleyball and high school boys' volleyball and baseball. He loyally supported his Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Raiders, and later, the Buffalo Bills. However, his most-loved and life-spanning sport was bowling. He enjoyed instructing junior bowlers for many years at Cedar lanes. His personal bowling was competitive and the occasion for lots of tournaments, travel, fun, and friendships, spanning his lifetime.

He loved to tell you he had been married to Sherrie for forty-seven years. His memories also live in the hearts of his daughter, Lori, and her husband, Steve Pucci, and grandchildren, Cole, Katelyn, Andrew, from Valencia; son, Taylor, and granddaughter, Tessa, from Crestline; daughter, Stefani, and her husband, Patrick Waters, and grandson, Ozzy, from Nashville; brother, Bill (deceased), and his wife, Pauline Cole, from Irvine; brother, Mike, and his wife, Debbie Winters, from Murrieta; brother-in-law, Mike, and his wife, Corrine Moore, from Newark; and all the dear nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

The family will host a Celebration of Life on April 26.