Claudia “Claudy” Ruth Cole, 78, of Flint, TX passed away in her home surrounded by family on February 4, 2021 due to advanced melanoma cancer. With her deep Christian faith and the heart of a warrior, Claudia lived with metastatic melanoma for the past 9 years. Through all the treatments, surgeries and various treatment side-effects – which took a tremendous toll on her body and well-being – she remained optimistic and faced every challenge day-by-day knowing each day was a gift. She would often say, “The LORD will take me when it is my time. Until then, I will live my life”.

Claudia was born on September 29, 1942 to Claude and Lena Pearce in Kilgore, TX as the youngest of 3 children. She graduated in 1960 at the top of her class in mathematics at Pampa High School in Pampa, TX. A year later, she would marry the love of her life Donald G. Cole on June 24, 1961. They were to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this coming June.

Don and Claudia lived in many places throughout their life together and called home to their favorite places: Pampa, Texas; Littleton, Colorado; Placenta, California; Fairfax, Virginia; Hideaway, Texas; Port Orange, Florida; and Flint, Texas.

Claudia worked as a bookkeeper for many car dealerships for most of her adult life. Before retiring in 2006, Claudia worked part-time for Grace Community Church in Tyler, TX and enjoyed working as a golf course ranger at Hideaway Lake Club in Hideaway, TX.

Home and family were the most precious and important elements of Claudia’s life – she lived for her family. She loved to spoil Don, her children and grandchildren with her amazing cooking and baking. Her other interests included sewing, quiltmaking, sightseeing and traveling. But her one favorite pastime and passion was watching the Dallas Cowboys as a devoted fan her whole life. Thanksgiving day would always include the sound of her cheering or shouting at the TV, “Get him! Get him!” from the living room during the Cowboy game.

Claudia is survived by her husband of 59 years Donald Cole of Flint, TX; children and their spouses, Daphne and David Toney of Centennial, CO and Chadwick and Jennifer Cole of Leander, TX; grandchildren, Leanne Bowman, her husband Shain and great grandson Ryker (3), Cori Bohannon and great grandson Landon (4), Dillon Cole, and Morgan Cole; step-grandson Matthew Sheppard and step-grandchildren, Hiatt, Ian and Anna Toney; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Carroll and Virgina Cole of Slidell, LA; and sister, Majorie Edmunds of Tyler, TX. She was preceded in death by her son, Donald Gregory “Greg” Cole, II, on December 26, 1976; her father, Claude Pearce on August 15, 1977; her brother, George Pearce in May of 2004; her mother, Lena Pearce on March 31, 2008; and her close nephew (and sometimes son), Jerry Fagerhaug on July 14, 2020.

Honoring Claudia’s wishes, there will not be a formal service or showing at this time as her desire was to be cremated with her final resting place next to Greg at Hampden Gardens in Denver, Colorado.

Condolence messages can be posted on Claudia’s memorial Facebook page. In addition, the family has set up a Facebook fundraiser to raise $9,000 – $1,000 for each year Claudia lived with melanoma – to the Melanoma Research Alliance. Instead of sending flowers, the family is requesting friends and family donate to the fundraiser as a way to offer their condolences.