Submitted by: Dan Rich

James D. Cole Sr.

Nov. 2, 1937 - Feb. 19, 2003

South Bend Tribune 2/22/2003

James D. Cole Sr., 65, of McErlain Street, South Bend, Ind., died at 7:24 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, after a short illness. He was born on Nov. 2, 1937 in Chicago, Ill., to the late William Hale Cole and Elda (Hartman) Cole Snyder who survives and resides in South Bend.

On Feb. 23, 1985, in South Bend, he married Gabriella Drucker who survives. Mr. Cole is also survived by two daughters, Catherine Marie Slaughter of Bremen, Ind., and Linda Lorraine Cole of South Bend; a son, James Douglas Cole Jr. of South Bend; five grandchildren, Christina, Amanda, and Laura Slaughter, James Douglas Cole II, Jonathon Ralph Cole; a great grandchild, Madison; his mother; a brother, William Hale Cole of Atlanta, Ga.; an aunt, Lorna Hartman of South Bend; and a niece, Marika Lyn Szynski of South Bend.

Mr. Cole was a Battalion Chief at the Central Fire Station in South Bend. He became a firefighter for the South Bend Fire Department on Aug. 14, 1961. He served as a lieutenant, a captain, and on Feb. 4, 1988, became a Battalion Chief, a position he currently held. He was an instructor in classes for, hospital evacuation, auto extrication (rescue #1), diving, water rescue, and was a member of the Hazardous Material Team. He received the Tony Miller Award, an award presented to the firefighter of the year, and was a candidate for the State of Indiana Firefighter of the Year. He also received commendations from the department, board of safety, and the South Bend Common Council. During his career he served on fire units, Aerial #3, Engine #1, Squad #21, Engine #5, Rescue #1, which was the heart and soul of his career on the fire department, Engine #11, Engine #8 and Fire #102 where he was B shift battalion chief. He participated in the National Academy Program for the incident management and served in the United States Marine Corps from 1954 to 1958.

Services for Mr. Cole will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 23, in First Presbyterian Church, 333 West Colfax, South Bend. Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, in the Welsheimer Funeral Home North, 17033 Cleveland Road, South Bend. Burial will be at Southlawn Cemetery. The family has requested that those wishing to make memorial contributions make them to the American Cancer Society, 535 W. Edison Unite #6, Mishawaka, Indiana 46545.