Obituary
Edwin B. Cole, 91, passed away into the loving arms of Jesus on Thursday December 29th, 2016 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Born April 11, 1925 in Anniston, Alabama, Edwin graduated from Anniston High School and received bachelor of science degree from Perdue University in Mechanical Engineering and a commission in the Navy at Notre Dame. While at Perdue, was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He served three years in the Navy, the last in the Pacific as Lt.jg and navigator on the LST 987.
After World War II, Edwin joined with his brothers, John B. Cole and Charles E. Cole, in operating the first flying school, Cole, Inc. Aviation at the old Tamiami Airport (now FL International University). He earned his commercial pilots license.
In 1949, employed by the Crane Co., a plumbing fixture manufacturer as a sales engineer. He became the assistant to Vice President of Sales in Chicago in 1952. In 1956 he resigned to return to Miami to open a Crane Co. distributorship, Cole Supply, Inc., jointly with brother Charles E. Cole.
Upon selling the business in 1962, joined Northwestern Mutual Life insurance Co where he qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table in the first year and became a Life Member. He also earned the CLU professional designation.
Appointed Managing Partner for southeast Florida in 1968, agency sales increased from six million to 167 million in 1985, when he retired creating one of the largest life insurance agencies in the south. He won the General Agent’s Achievement Award, Northwestern Mutual’s highest award for leadership, four times.
Mr. Cole served as Mayor of Miami Shores, President of the Hialeah-Miami Springs Rotary Club, and Chairman of the district for Rotary Foundation, Chairman of the Board of the North Dade YMCA, and President of Miami Country Day School for 12 years. To honor his service, the school established the annual Edwin C. Cole exemplary Teacher Award. He also served as Director of the Northside Bank and Director of Man in the Mirror, an international ministry to men founded by son-in-law Patrick Morley.
He served as Deacon, Elder, Sunday School Superintendent, chairman of the capital fund drives and pastor search committees at Miami Shores Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed golf, fishing and boating in the keys and Caribbean.
Mr. Cole was married to June Wilma Scott in Schenectady, New York, in 1948. They celebrated 68 years of marriage. Their home was in Miami Shores until 1995 when they moved to Delray Dunes Country Club in Boyton Beach, Florida in the winter and Newland, North Carolina in the summer. They lived at Mountain Glen Country Club where he served as a director and President of the Property Owners Association. While at Delray Dunes he served as a director of the Delray Dunes Country Club, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Association and President of the Dunes Investment Club. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach. The Cole’s moved to the Mayflower retirement center in Winter Par, Florida in 2009.
They have three daughters, Mrs. Patricia Morley (Patrick Morley) of Winter Park, Florida, Mrs. Nancy Wilson (Henry Kyser Wilson) of Birmingham, Alabama, and Mrs. Marilyn Chrastina (Randy Chrastina) of Oviedo, Florida, four grandchildren, Jennifer Morley Simmons, John Cole Morley, Christy Wilson Dillon, and Sara Wilson Gunnells and nine great grandchildren, Michael Joshua, Madeline and Isaac Dillon, Story and Annie Simmons, Callie and Davis Morley, and Hadley Gunnells. No memorial services are planned.
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