Obituary

Paul Kelly Cole was born December 6, 1945, in Talladega, Alabama to the late John E. Cole, Sr and Willie Mae Cole.  The new baby was the third of five children. Paul was named for Dr. Paul Kelly, the medical doctor, who delivered him and had a medical practice on the campus of Talladega College in the 1940's.

Paul attended public schools in Talladega, Alabama.  In 1963, he graduated from Westside High School, where he   played quarterback on the varsity football team.  After graduating from high school, he attended Talladega College. During his junior year, he was selected to enroll in a summer program at Harvard University where he took courses in the fields of Economics and Political Science.  While a student at Talladega College he was initiated and became a member of the Gamma Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in 1965. He graduated from college with honors earning a BA in Economics (minor in History).

After graduating from Talladega College, he was admitted to the University of Notre Dame Law School.  At the end of his first year at Notre Dame, he married his college sweetheart, Patricia Holland in Tampa, Florida, and they moved to South Bend, Indiana with plans for Paul to continue his legal studies.  Those plans were temporarily interrupted when he was required to complete a six-month tour of active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.  Following   active-duty, Paul returned to Notre Dame to complete his legal studies. He satisfied the remainder of his military obligation  by serving part time in the Marine Corps.  After six years of service, he received an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps Reserve.

Paul graduated from law school in 1971 with a JD degree .  He began his legal career with Mobil Oil Corporation immediately after graduating from Notre Dame by joining the Corporate Office of General Counsel in New York.  After passing the New York Bar examination, Paul settled into the life of a corporate lawyer with Mobil Oil, providing legal advice on a variety of legal areas. In the early 1980's Mobil moved its headquarters from New York City to Fairfax, Virginia. As a result of the relocation, Paul moved his family to Virginia. When Mobil and Exxon completed the merger in 1999 to create Exxon Mobil, Paul worked the remainder of his years with the company as an Exxon Mobil employee. He retired from Exxon-Mobil after 32 years of service.

Paul loved his family dearly and was especially proud of his two sons, Cedrick, a retired Army colonel and his son, Byron who works in a mailroom at a government facility.  Paul always enjoyed attending family reunions, graduations, weddings, and family dinners.  Paul was a dutiful son, an unselfish brother, a devoted husband, a loving and caring father, uncle, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was an inspiration to his family and to all who knew him and loved him.

Paul's desire to give back to his community led him to do volunteer work with the Legal Aid Society in New York during his early years as an attorney. After moving to Virginia, he served as a deacon at his church, coached Special Olympics sports, served on the board of The Arc of Northern Virginia, an advocacy organization for people with developmental disabilities, and was one of the founding members of the OKK chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in Herndon, Virginia.

Paul was predeceased by his brother, Calhoun Wilson (Mary Lee) and his sister, Eliza Cole. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Patricia Cole of 53 years, sons Cedrick Farrior (Cassandra) of Harvest, AL and Byron Cole of Great Falls, VA, brothers John E Cole, Jr of Talladega, AL, and Clinn Cole (Gloria) of Schaumburg, IL, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and a special goddaughter, Dr. Georolyn Torkelson ( Steve).

In lieu of flowers the family kindly ask that donations be made in honor of Paul Cole to Talladega College, Office of Institutional Advancement, 627 Battle Street West, Talladega Alabama, 35160.