Jeanne Cole

Jeanne Wall Cole, aged 92, passed away Wednesday, June 7, 2017, at her beloved Old Homeplace in Henrietta, North Carolina. Jeanne lived a full life enjoying those things she held most precious: friends and family, education, and music.

Jeanne was born August 12, 1924 in Brookhaven, MS. She was the daughter of Roland B. Wall, mayor of Brookhaven in the 1930's, and Annie Claire Henderson Wall.

She attended Mars Hill College, and was among the second incoming class of women at Wake Forest College where she graduated summa cum laude in Religious Education. After graduating in 1946, she married fellow Wake Forest graduate Ben Cole, who became a JAG Officer in the U.S. Navy.

As a military wife, Jeanne established homes in locations ranging from Adak, Alaska to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and many places in between. With characteristic mannered toughness, she moved not only the household and three young children, but also orchestrated the safe passage of her beloved Baby Grand Piano to each new place they were stationed. Although she was primarily a homemaker and took the lead in raising three children, Jeanne also worked outside the home as a tax preparer, an elementary school teacher, and a church organist. She learned to play the organ in her twenties, and played for the next 70 years, as recently as August 2016.

Everyone who knew her knew how deeply Jeanne cared for her family's sixth-generation property in Henrietta. Jeanne took great care in researching and documenting the family geneology going back to the 1700's. A steward of her family's history and property, Jeanne's love in action was manifested by opening the Old Homeplace to friends old and new throughout her life and by hosting many family celebrations.
As an extrovert who didn't know a stranger, Jeanne created a wide circle of friends wherever she went. A lifelong Baptist, she belonged to two churches, High Shoals Baptist Church in Henrietta, NC and Midway Baptist Church in Clinton, MS, and was well loved for sending countless encouraging greeting cards to congregants for a wide range of life events.

As a parent, Jeanne nurtured a lifelong love of music in her children by starting them all on piano before the age of 6. She taught all three to read before they started school. Jeanne was equal parts gentility and determination, a business savvy Southern Belle who graduated charm school and managed a multi-state real estate and investment portfolio. She was vivacious and warm, uncannily talented and exceptionally smart, a true blue friend and a woman of great integrity. There will never be another like her.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Ben Cole, and her sons, Bennett Cole of Ft. Lauderdale and Gene Cole of Henrietta. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Cole Hewitt of Charlotte, NC; her daughter-in-law, Mia Cole of Ft. Lauderdale; her grandchildren, Molly, Matthew, Sam, and Peter; sister-in-law Elaine Wall of Clinton, MS; her brother Donald and his wife Brenda of Brookhaven, MS; and a whole host of friends and family who loved and admired her very much.

The family wishes to express profound gratitude to the loving staff of Cleveland County Hospice, particularly Nurse Joanie Mabry, who provided loving and compassionate care throughout Jeanne's six month illness, as well as the incredibly loving team of caregivers who worked tirelessly to provide Jeanne with comprehensive loving care.
The funeral service will be conducted at noon on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at High Shoal Baptist Church with Reverend John Godfrey and Celebrant Diamond McMillan officiating. Interment will be held in Brookhaven, MS. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for donations to be made to High Shoals Baptist Church, P.O Box 386, Henrietta, NC 28076.