Ben Cole

Captain Ben N. Cole, JAGC, USN {Ret.}, 89, passed away February 4, 2OO9 at his home in Henrietta, North Carolina. He was born May 1, 1919 on Pine Street in the old Fourth Ward section of Charlotte, the middle of five sons born to the late John W. Cole and Susan Elizabeth Cole.
He graduated from Central High School in 1937 and completed three years of undergraduate school at Wake Forest College before joining the Naval Reserve in 1940. In 1941 he was commissioned Ensign in the Naval Reserve and received orders to a destroyer at sea and was in Pearl Harbor later that year when the Japanese attacked. Aboard his ship, he worked through the ranks to become commanding officer. After spending the next four years fighting in World War II, he received 13 bronze battle stars, the Silver Star Medal for exceptional heroism in combat in the face of the enemy, the Purple Heart Medal for injuries sustained in the face of enemies at wartime and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Following World War II, he returned to Wake Forest, where he completed college and law school and in 1948, was admitted to the North Carolina Bar. Following completion of his school work, he returned to active duty and practiced law in the Navy until he retired as a Captain in 1972.
In retirement, he was active at High Shoals Baptist Church as a Deacon, a Trustee, a Sunday School Teacher, and served on numerous committees. He was self taught in gardening, bee keeping, wine making, clock making and wood working and also enjoyed weekend flying and working on his sports cars.
He is survived by his former wife Jeanne Wall Cole; his daughter-in-law Mia Cole and her three children, Sam, Matthew and Peter of Fort Lauderdale; Gene Wall Cole of Henrietta; and Susan Hewitt and her daughter, Molly of Charlotte; one brother, Gene Cole and his wife, Louise of Charlotte.