David M. Cole

One year ago, April 28, 2015, David M. Cole, resident of Annapolis, Maryland departed this life. He was 85 years old.

Mr. Cole was born in Bloomsburg on March 23, 1930, to Ray M. and Loula L. Cole.  He graduated from Bloomsburg High School with the Class of 1948 and from Bloomsburg State Teachers College with the Class of 1956.

He proudly served in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard from 1951 until 1991, retiring as a Major. One of the highlights of his military career was earning his pilot’s wings in 1954.

Mr. Cole began his business career as a manager with the former US Radium Corporation in Bloomsburg. After being relocated by the company in the late 60’s, his final move was to Annapolis, Maryland, where he was employed by the State of Maryland, from which he retired from in 1992.

Mr. Cole’s great passion was the outdoors. He was a longtime member of the Colorado Mountain Club and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.  While his love of hiking sent him across the United States and far beyond, one of his favorite hikes was Kitchen Creek Falls in Ricketts Glen State Park. His other great passion was his bicycle, on which he clocked thousands of miles. He remained an active outdoorsman until his last day on earth.

He lived his life simply and purposefully and in doing so set an example for others to follow. He believed that less is more and that nothing can’t be cured by time spent outdoors.

Mr. Cole’s death was preceded by that of his former wife, Samina Rishton Cole (m. 1953 to 1984) and their son Gregory Cole. His beloved older sister, Ellen Cole Hobbs, died a few weeks after he did at her home in Hendersonville, NC. He is survived by his sons Bradley Cole (wife, Holly Tompkins) of Annapolis, MD, Gary Cole (wife, Sopiah) of Cary, NC, and daughter Lisa Duffy (husband, Scott) of Chickamuga, GA, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

There was a private memorial service, and a grave monument is being placed in the Family plot in New Rosemont Cemetery. 

Anyone wishing to pay tribute to his life is asked to please make a donation to the Bloomsburg University Foundation or the Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Society.