Ronald E. Cole

Ronald E. Cole, 83, a resident of Colbrook Drive, passed away March 6, 2019 at Albany Medical Center surrounded by his family. Ron was born in Bennington on August 22, 1935 the son of the late Roy E. and Evelyn (Coolidge) Cole and attended local schools. Ron was a member and retired Chief of the Arlington Fire Department for 54 years, Forest Fire Warden, he was a Special Olympics coach for 40 years, enjoyed listening to country music, hunting, fishing and camping in his RV. He was a member of Red Mountain Lodge Free and Accepted Masons, worked for the Town of Arlington and Manchester, owned the Shell gas station in Arlington and was a caretaker for private residences. He was as member of the Wayside Country Store's Knights of the round table and a longtime patron of Mrs. Murphy's Doughnuts. He loved the cream puffs from the halfway house in Shoreham, VT, loved watching wrestling, roller derby and was always willing to help when needed. He was a practical joker, and loved dancing the polka with his wife Joan. He was a league bowler, enjoyed fire department conventions and cherished times spent with his family. Ron is survived by his children Carrie Pickering and her husband Patrick of Arlington, Karen Cole of Savannah, Georgia and Tracie Cole of Arlington, brothers Bill Cole and his wife Jean of Alabama and David Cole and his significant other Tammy of Bennington, sisters Nancy O'Niel of Arlington and Deborah Mattison and her husband of Arlington, grandchildren Michael Pickering of Charlotte, NC, Danny Puckering and his wife Amy of Newport, VT, Jessica Gascoigne and her husband Pat of Haymarket, VA and Jason Sargood and his wife Chantell of Wilksboro, NC and great grandchildren Hunter, Jax, Lincoln and Lucy Sargood, Finn and Connor Gascoigne and Corbin and Levi Pickering. He was preceded in death by his wife Joan Hayes Cole who died March 10, 2016. Funeral services for Ron will be held Saturday March 9, 2019 at 2pm at Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home Arlington Chapel Historic Route 7A Arlington, VT. A visitation hour will be held from 1-2pm one hour prior to the service. If friends desire memorial gifts in Ron's memory may be made to the Vermont Special Olympics Northshire Division or the Arlington Fire Department c/o Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home Arlington Chapel P.O. Box 528 Arlington, VT 05250. Funeral services for Ron will be held Saturday March 9, 2019 at 2pm at Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home Arlington Chapel Historic Route 7A Arlington, VT. A visitation hour will be held from 1-2pm one hour prior to the service.