Obituary of Catherine Cole

CATHERINE CROLL COLE - age 99, died peacefully in her sleep at home in Knoxville, TN on June 14, 2012 of natural causes. Born May 31, 1913 to Ella Cole Croll and Perry Bean Croll in Skippack, PA her family moved to Dunellen, NJ where she grew up. After graduating from Trenton State Teachers college with a Bachelor's Degree she continued her education at Penn State where she graduated with a Master's Degree. During World War II she served in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant from January 1943 until October 1946.while in the Navy she married her sweetheart, Bill, and after her discharge they settled in Lebanon, NJ where she began using her degrees as a Teacher in an area school until they started their family. In 1956, they purchased the business that Bill worked for and moved into the business property of Hildebrant and Cole Heating oil in Whitehouse Station, NJ where she spent a long happy life. Catherine started a local chapter of the Girl Scouts of America and was a member of the Eastern Star. She was a member of the Whitehouse United Methodist church and loved baking her apple pies for the Harvest Home dinners there. At the age of 70, after the death of her beloved Bill, she moved to St.Simons Island, GA where she spent almost 21 years learning and playing Bridge, walking along the ocean and spending time with her new friends and daughter, Bonnie. In 2004, she and her daughter moved to their home in Knoxville, TN where she spent the last 8 years of her life enjoying the views out her windows, spending time with both of her daughters, reading many books and watching her favorite TV shows. Catherine is survived by her loving daughters, Kathy Cole Rinaca, Bonnie Sue Cole and Bonnie's fiancé Bill Union. Grandson, Matthew C. Smarr, his wife, Holly and 3 loved Great-Grandchildren, Skyler, Nathan & Zoe of Lockport, NY and "special daughters", her caregivers, Debra Riddle, Niki Souder and Angel Ewing, all of whom she loved. Also several nieces and nephews and their families. A graveside services with Military Honors will be held on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 2:00 PM in Rural Hill Cemetery, Whitehouse, In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Young Williams Animal Center in Knoxville, TN or the Fish Ministry at Middlebrook Pike United Methodist Church in Knoxville, TN. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Kearns Funeral Home, Whitehouse.