Obituary of Helen Ellison Cole

Cole, Helen Ellison, of Sun City Center, formerly of Coral Gables, was born October 25, 1919, and died April 24, 2010, at South Bay Hospital in Sun City Center, Florida. She was born in Sullivan, Missouri, to Eva Marie Faignant Ellison and William Henry Ellison, and moved with her family to Miami in 1925. After living in a tent for 6 months, the family moved into their new home just in time for the 1926 hurricane, which blew the roof off the house. She graduated from Miami High School in 1936 and afterward worked at Coral Gables Federal Savings and Loan Association. She was married to real estate appraiser W. Bates Cole in 1939. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Riviera Country, Coral Gables Women's, Coral Gables Garden, Beach Colony, and Century clubs in Coral Gables, the Garden Club in Highlands, North Carolina, and the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center. Helen is survived by her husband of 70 years, W. Bates Cole; three children, Carlton W. Cole (Andrea), Carol Cole McCrory, and William Bates Cole, Jr. (Sue); six grandchildren, Mary McCrory Williams (Anthony), Andrew Lynch Cole (Ann), Edward Bates Cole (Ruthie), William Bates Cole, III, Francesca Leto Cole, and Isobel Leto Cole; and five great-grandchildren, Ryan Anthony Williams, Tyler Jacob Williams, Olivia Butler Cole, Margaret Posey Cole, and Flora Elizabeth Cole. She was predeceased by her brother Joseph Ellison and her sisters, Ethel Shaffer, Lillian Macpherson, CeCe Ousley Ellis, and Marie Bullman Reiter. The visitation will be held at 3:00 and the funeral service at 4:00 on Saturday, May 1, 2010, at the Sun City Center Funeral Home, 1851 Rickenbacker Drive, Sun City Center, Florida. 33573. (813) 634-9900. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the National Stroke Association, 9707 East Easter Lane, Centennial, CO 80112, Coral Gables Garden Club, c/o Mrs. William C. Murff, 1429 Mercado Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33146, or Li'l Church of the Wildwood, c/o Mr. Donald Edwards, Post Office Box 897, Highlands, NC 28741.