Livonia, NY:  At age 81, Bill passed peacefully surrounded by family on December 2, 2021 at the Livingston County Center for Nursing and Habilitation.  He was born on June 20, 1940 in Cortland, NY to the late Albert and Vada (Dunn) Cole.  In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son William Franklyn Cole and brothers Edward Cole & Richard Cole.  Survived by children; Matthew (Belinda) Cole of Livonia and Ruth Cole (Marc Girouard) of Portland, Oregon; grandchildren, Finn, Brigid, and Nora Cole; sister, Shirley Frost; several nieces, nephews, and friends including special friends Mike and Becky Wershay.

Those dearest to William, Bill to his close friends, knew his deep devotion to his beloved children, that he was immensely proud of, and his lifelong passion for sports. He was a shining star during high school on Homer Central’s soccer, track, basketball and baseball teams. He continued participating in competitive sports while serving in the Army/Air Force as a Medic and was the MVP of Championship teams playing in military leagues throughout Germany/France tournament play. After his service in the military, his genuine competitive nature continued throughout his collegiate years at Doane College in Nebraska while he worked towards a degree in physical therapy. At Doane, he joined the golf team playing side by side his close friend of over 50 years, Mike Wershay.  As a caring father, he constantly supported both children in their various athletic endeavors, always ‘showing up’ to cheer them on from the sidelines. During his golden years, Bill moved to Casa Grande, Arizona, which let him live in the beautiful sunny ‘dry heat’ climate of the southwest, giving him the opportunity to play golf daily. Throughout his entire life, he was a man of few words with a big caring heart for those he loved. He stood out everywhere he went with his attention to style and debonair attire. His work ethic started at a young age when he worked as a shoeshiner and golf caddy at the Cortland Country Club as a teenager. His tenacity carried forward throughout his life; when he put his mind to something, his determination could overcome the harshest of challenges that life threw at him.  He worked tirelessly to provide for his children and help to create a brighter future for them.  He liked what he liked and appreciated good food, especially his Coca-Cola classic. He enjoyed oldie but goodies classic music from the 50’s – 60’s, classic western movies and had a good sense of humor.

Services and burial, with military honors, will be held in the spring at Sampson Veterans Cemetery, Romulus, NY.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Bill’s memory to the Veteran’s Outreach Center, 447 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620 or online at https://veteransoutreachcenter.org/ or the PGA’s First Tee program to build character and instill life-enhancing values through  the game of golf at First Tee, PO Box 3055, Ponte Verda Beach, FL 32004 or online at https://firsttee.org/donate/. To send a condolence or share a memory please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com