87R6632 BK-D
By: Clardy H.R. No. 165
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the kindness,
generosity, and philanthropic goodwill of Thomas Edward "Ed" Cole,
longtime benefactor of Stephen F. Austin State University, who
passed away on December 5, 2019, at the age of 97; and
WHEREAS, Born on July 22, 1922, in Homer, Louisiana, Ed Cole
was the son of Edna and Thomas Edwin Cole, and he grew up in Longview
with the companionship of two sisters, Johnette and Helen, and a
brother, Hiram; he attended welding school, worked at a shipyard in
Beaumont, and eventually joined the United States Air Force, which
deployed him to England during World War II; after being discharged
from military service in 1946, he found a job as a salesman for an
oil field supply company in Longview; his foray into the oil
industry led him to later found his own company, Cole Rental Tools,
in 1958; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cole married the former Gwen Peck, the love of
his life, on February 14, 1966; the couple resided in New Orleans
until relocating to Nacogdoches in 1978; a self-made man and a
successful entrepreneur, Mr. Cole enjoyed giving of his own time
and resources to nurture the growth of the community and the
students at Stephen F. Austin State University; through the years,
he and his wife provided funding for numerous facilities on the
campus, including an art center and a concert hall; they also
endowed scholarships in music, theater, STEM, and basketball to
help finance the education of SFA students; and
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Cole were among the most celebrated
benefactors in SFA's history; the couple were regarded with
tremendous esteem and affection by the Lumberjack community, and in
recognition of Mr. Cole's storied devotion to the university, he
was presented with its prestigious Honorary Doctorate of Humane
Letters in May 2019; his involvement with SFA further included
serving as a trustee for the SFASU Foundation and a member of the
Lumberjacks Booster Club, Friends of Music, and the College of Fine
Arts Dean's Circle of Excellence, and he made frequent appearances
at athletic games and luncheons; he was also engaged in the wider
community as a member of the Nacogdoches Rotary Club and other
organizations; and
WHEREAS, Ed Cole left an indelible mark on Nacogdoches
through his altruism and commitment to higher education, and
although he is deeply missed, the contributions that he made over
the course of his extraordinary life will continue to resonate long
into the future; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Thomas Edward Cole
and extend sincere sympathy to his loved ones; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Thomas
Edward Cole.