Anderson Funeral Home
Homeserving families for over 70 years
312 South Stone St.
Augusta, WI 54722
715-286-2222
Rey Cole
Reynold L. Cole, “Rey”, 82, formerly of Foster and Whitehall, passed away peacefully Wednesday afternoon, May 31, 2017 at the Dove Health Care in Osseo.
Reynold LeRoy Cole, son of Peter and Edna (Krause) Cole was born April 18, 1935 in Barron, Wisconsin. He was raised and attended school in Barron. Following graduation Rey served in the U.S. Army and was stationedin Alaska. After his honorable discharge he worked on a ranch in North Dakota before moving to Madison, where he was employed as an engineer for Carl C. Crane. He was working with Crane in Fennimore, where he met Jean Nickel and the couple later married on Dec. 30, 1961 in Fennimore. After the closing of Crane, Ray was employed by Finley Engineering of Eau Claire and was a member of the Communication Union. Rey’s employment with Finley required traveling throughout the United States. With his wife and pre school children, together they traveled in a trailer to all the work sites. When the children were school age they settled in Foster, where they lived for 34 years. Rey and Jean moved to Whitehall in 2007, and back to an apartment in Osseo in Nov. of 2016. Since May of this year they had resided at the Dove Assisted Living in Osseo. Rey had been baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Foster, and during his membership there he served in all the various church offices. When Rey and Jean moved to Whitehall they transferred their membership to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pleasantville, where he served as a trustee. Rey loved fishing, and hunting turkeys and deer in the Wisconsin countryside. He was an avid Green Bay Packer and Milwaukee Brewer fan and enjoyed watching them play on television.
Rey will be dearly missed by Jean, his wife of 55 years; son Tim and Lisa Cole of Houston, TX; daughter Denise and Tom Vincent of Springdale, AR; 6 grandchildren, Matthew (Maria) Cole, Kara (Brian) Varnado, Allie Cole, Sheldon Steig, Alex Vincent, Shawn Vincent; 4 great grandchildren; brother-in-law, Edward (Phyllis) Nickelof Beloit; sisters-in-law, Janice Cole of Chetek, Maxine Cole of Menomonie; “adopted” daughter, Siri Andrus (Daryl Smith) of Osseo. Ray was preceded in death by his parents; and 3 brothers, Duard, Duane and Kenneth Cole.
A visitation will be held Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Foster, with services at 3 p.m. at the church with Rev. Dennis Voss officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family is assisted by Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta.In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given in Rey’s memory toward the stair lift chair fund at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
