Phillip Thomas Cole

Phillip Thomas Cole, was born Sept. 18, 1964, in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

On Jan. 28, he passed away in a fire at his home in Oak Ridge. He had been a resident of Oak Ridge since 1965.

Phillip was the son of Gordon and Sonya Cole of Oak Ridge.

He attended Oak Ridge schools from kindergarten through graduation in 1983. After graduation, he attended Somerset Technical Vocational School in Somerset, Ky., and earned a degree in aircraft maintenance. He then worked with Eastern Metro Airline in Chattanooga. After Eastern closed, he came back to Oak Ridge and joined his mother (Sonya Cole) and grandparents (Ann and Tom Hart) in operating the family business, HARCO Enterprises, for about 15 years, where he was production manager.

Preceding Phillip in death were his grandparents Rev. and Mrs. Raymond L. Cole of Toccoa, Ga., and grandparents Thomas and Ann Hart of Oak Ridge, and Paul Surber of Oak Ridge.

He was a very compassionate person with a passion to help others. He volunteered in the Literacy Council where he helped adults with reading and speaking English, and Second Harvest food distribution to those in need. He was a member of Oak Ridge Alliance Church.

His dog Sandy was a special love in his life. She was a “shop dog” and was always at work with him in HARCO. He especially enjoyed screen printing T-shirts, etc., for people and organizations in Oak Ridge. Another special interest was politics, and he was a staunch Republican and enjoyed listening to talk radio. He enjoyed sailing and boating with his brother.

Survivors are his parents Gordon and Sonya Cole of Oak Ridge; brother Steve Cole of Knoxville; extended family Kaye and Bill Farrar, Courtney and Wesley Hicks, Bryan and Kristen Farrar, Linda and Gary McClain, Jason and Michelle Surber, all of Oak Ridge, and Chris Surber of Knoxville and their families; and Eula Crockett and daughter Shirley Graham and husband Bob of Oak Ridge and their daughter Colleen and son Michael, Joyce and Dupree Cape of Toccoa, Ga., Elaine Davis of Georgia, Roger and Janet Cole of Philadelphia, Pa., and Adele and Edward Haggerty of Bradenton, Fla., and their families.

Special friends were Kathy Bowman, Anita Ledford, Julie Phillips, and Mark Hale.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. at Oak Ridge Alliance Church with Rev. Dale Crank officiating. The family will receive friends from 6–7 p.m. at the church.

An online guest book may be signed at weatherfordmortuary.com.