Jean Holden Cole, 95, an early founder and enthusiastic supporter of Oak Ridge and surrounding community programs died early on New Year’s Day at Canterfield of Oak Ridge after several years of declining health.

Jean Cole was a 70-year resident of Oak Ridge, arriving with her husband Thomas Earle Cole when he joined the Oak Ridge Laboratories’ Physics Division in 1946. Jean’s involvement in Oak Ridge and the surrounding community reached from women’s and children’s health, to art and pottery programs, to early desegregation and education support efforts, to program and curriculum development for continuing education and senior learning.

Mrs. Cole is survived by two sons, Henry Earle “Hank” Cole and his wife Jennine Anderson of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Edmund  Platt “Ted” Cole and his wife Nancy of Bradenton, Florida. There are three grandsons: Thomas Earle Cole, Brandon Bryant Cole, and David Christopher Anderson, and two great grandchildren, Felix Cole Anderson and Tallulah Bean Cole. Jean is also survived by her nephew Benjamin Bates, grandnephew Marshall Bates, and grandniece Morgan Bates, all of Houston, Texas, and by grandnephews John Perrine deNoyelles III and Richard Scott deNoyelles, grandniece Denise Martiel Tormey, four great-grandnephews and three great-grandnieces, all of the Orlando, Florida area. [Read more…]