James Alfred Cole

James Alfred Cole (Jim) was born March 19, 1946, in Seattle, Washington, and died on April 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri, of pancreatic cancer. He is survived by Connie, his wife of 53 years; his son, Adam, and daughter-in-law, Aurelou, of Fairfax, Virginia; his sister, Nancy Cole Mays, of Fayetteville, Arkansas; his niece Susan Mays and her partner, Andy Ducey, of Centennial, Colorado; his niece Sarah Mays Derrick and her husband, Chris Derrick, of Long Beach, California; his nephew Mike Lowe and his wife, Lorna Lowe, of Ames, Iowa; his nephew Ed Lowe and his wife, Helen Lowe, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; and his nephew Bill Lowe of Des Moines, Iowa. A service to honor and celebrate Jim’s life and contributions to the lives of others will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, at Northminster Presbyterian Church, located at 1441 N.E. Englewood Road, Kansas City, Missouri, 64118. A reception will immediately follow the service. At a later date a private committal service will be held at the mausoleum of Newcomer's White Chapel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Jim’s memory to Northminster Presbyterian Church.

Jim’s father, Isaac Alfred Cole, Jr., died unexpectedly when Jim was seven months old. Social Security survivor benefits provided a critical lifeline to his mother, Lela Cate Cole Wiseman, and her two young children. This assistance coming from the people of this country–people he would never meet–helped shape Jim’s desire to serve his country and the people of his community.

Jim’s family moved back to Arkansas to be near extended family. He grew up in West Fork and Fayetteville and graduated from Fayetteville High School. Jim interrupted his studies at the University of Arkansas with three years of service in the United States Army in Germany. Upon returning from the Army, he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where his mother resided. There, he met Connie, who lived across the street. They married in 1970 and moved to Fayetteville.

In 1972, Jim earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas. Jim and Connie then moved to Kansas City, where Jim earned a master’s in public administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1979.

From 1976 through 2012, he served in the Social Security Administration as a Benefit Authorizer, Claims Authorizer, Social Insurance Representative, Social Insurance Specialist, and Public Liaison Specialist in a low-income neighborhood in Kansas City, helping people in need to navigate the application process to receive the retirement, survivors, and disability benefits to which they were entitled.

Although someone may have come in to claim one benefit, he always took the time to work with the individual to see if there were any other benefits to which the person was entitled. From his own experience growing up, he knew how important a few extra dollars could be. On many occasions, he would determine the person was eligible for additional benefits–maybe as little as $20 per month–and the person would be overjoyed because it meant they could put a little more food on the table for their family or have a little more breathing room after paying the rent.

Jim’s deep knowledge of the intricacies of Social Security’s programs led him to serve for six and a half years in Social Security’s Office of Quality Assurance & Performance Assessment before he retired. He reconstructed claims for Social Security benefits to make sure that the employees who authorized the claims followed the complex rules correctly, ensuring that benefit claims were substantiated with the correct documentation and that the benefit amounts were correctly calculated. Academic economists have utilized his expertise in conducting analyses that have been published in peer reviewed journals, including the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics.

Jim served his community in additional ways. He served as an Assistant Scoutmaster for more than 30 years with Troop 288, helping more than 70 young people become Eagle Scouts. He served as an elder at Northminster Presbyterian Church, where he was a member for more than 50 years, leading at various times the stewardship, finance, and property committees; in retirement, he spent numerous hours on projects to maintain and improve the property.

As part of the leadership of the church, Jim worked with Northminster to donate part of its land to a charitable organization that provides shelter and services to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. It was the first such shelter in that part of Kansas City, and it continues to serve the community to this day. In 1989, Jim received the Regional Commissioner of the Social Security Administration’s Volunteer Award “in recognition of [his] unselfish devotion of time and energy to helping others in [his] community.” Also in 1989, he was named a Public Service Ambassador by the Federal Executive Board for Greater Kansas City.

Jim loved his family. He was forever grateful for Connie’s love and, particularly during this difficult last year, care for him. He was overjoyed to welcome Aurelou to the family and, after decades of teaching Citizenship in the Nation merit badge, to attend her naturalization ceremony; he wouldn’t have skipped it for the world. He took great pride in Adam’s accomplishments and his efforts in government service to help low-income families claim benefits for which they are eligible.

Jim often shared stories of the people he met, the struggles they faced, how things outside of our control can land us in precarious spaces where we then need help, and how it is our responsibility to use our talents and resources to help others. Throughout his life, Jim set an excellent example of service to his country and community. He will be greatly missed, but his example will inspire others for years to come.