Sept. 10, 1918 – June 21, 2012
Wallace L. “Fritz” Cole, 93, of Sweet Home passed away Thursday. He was born Sept. 10, 1918 in Kelso, Wash. to Howard and Violet (Muir) Cole.
He and his seven siblings were raised by his mother after their father died when he was still a boy. The children all worked from an early age to help support the family.
Mr. Cole worked in the strawberry fields driving a horse-drawn wagon, and on a dairy farm, doing all the chores this entailed.
He and Walter, his twin brother, joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and Mr. Cole was assigned to the San Juan islands where he helped build roads and lookout towers.
He joined the National Guard and then the U. S. Army, proudly serving his country during World War II. He spent time in Germany and France and came home with a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat.
Upon returning from the service, Mr. Cole spent a lifelong career working in the wood products industry, retiring in 1980. After a brief period of retirement, he began work as a security guard at wood product mills in the Sweet Home and Lebanon area for many years before retiring once again.
He lived on his own until April of this year, when he moved into Wiley Creek Assisted Living Center in Sweet Home, where he charmed all he met.
The family has fond memories of a man who, as the song says, “Lived it his way.”
Mr. Cole was the father of David, Stephen, Gary, Marlene, Dana, and Bonnie. He was a beloved grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 29, at Lewis Cemetery on North River Drive, where he will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife Nellie.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.