Donald Reed Cole

Donald Reed Cole, 79, passed away at his home in Doyle, Tennessee, on August 8, 2026. Don was born on February 1, 1947, in Akron, Ohio. His wife, Marilyn, and her very good friend, Lillian, were visiting with him when God decided it was time for him to come home. He took one breath and was immediately in the presence of his Lord.

He was the son of the late Mary Roberts Cole Kostelny and the late Euklie Cole, and stepfather the late John Kostelny. He was the husband of Marilyn Cuthrell Cole.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his firstborn son, David. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Cliff Stanley of Sparta, sister-in-law, LaNeita Williams from Aventura, FL and a stepsister, Janet Kostelny, and friend Steve Ingels of Duluth, Georgia.

Four sons survive: Daniel Cole, Douglas Cole of Doyle, TN; Dustin Cole (Sarah) of Cantonment, FL; and Darin Cole (Taylor) of Sparta, TN.

Granddaughters: Alyssa and Jada Cole of Waukegan, IL; Jaslyn (Reece McKee) Cole of Suitland, MD; and Scottie Cole of Cantonment, FL.

Nephew Mike Stanley (Angie); nieces Tracie Bosket and Candy Phillips (Todd).

Donald graduated in 1965 from Tallmadge High School in Ohio and began working at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. The military draft ended that career in April of 1966, and he began another career with the United States Marine Corps. With minimal training, he found himself in Vietnam in September of 1966. After seven months in country, he was wounded in Quang Tri Province, losing an eye and suffering brain trauma, leading to Alzheimer's disease later in life.

After life-saving surgery aboard the Navy hospital ship USS Repose in the South China Sea and a short stay at the Naval Hospital in Japan, he was transferred to the Philadelphia Naval Hospital, where he spent an additional four months before he was retired from the Marine Corps.

He was taking college classes at the University of Akron and met the love of his life, Marilyn, on her first day of college. After Marilyn's graduation, they moved to Doyle, TN, and began building their house on the property they had bought the year before on the banks of the Calfkiller River.

Don spent many hours hitting baseballs to their boys, being their catcher until their fastballs became too much for him to handle. Four collegiate baseball scholarships were the result of his work. The majority of Don's time was spent in Bible study, doing a very intense study of Numbers in the Bible and its meaning.

There were many boys who counted the Cole house as a home away from home, sometimes staying days at a time. Don kept them well fed, asking them numerous times if they were hungry and always meeting that need, but their spiritual hunger was the most important to him, whether they knew it or not. Don would gather them around the kitchen table and have a Bible class with them. Although many were not eager for the class, later in life he was thanked many times for those classes of Bible reading and discussion. God's word does not return void.

The family would like to thank all of those who have prayed for Don, especially Bear Cove Baptist Church, the Women of the Word Sunday School Class, and the Agape Class. A very special thanks to Silver Angels, especially Frankie Givens, for the excellent care that was given to Don.

ARRANGEMENTS:

Funeral service will be held on Monday, August 17, 2026, starting at 4:00 p.m. at Bear Cove Baptist Church. Officiating will be Jason Doty. Interment to follow at Lost Creek Cemetery.

Family will receive friends on Monday, August 17, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. at Bear Cove Baptist Church.

Pallbearers: Daniel Cole, Douglas Cole, Dustin Cole, Darin Cole, Mason Wallace, and Dale Caskey.