Walter Ernest Cole, Jr.

 Walter “Buddy” Ernest Cole Jr. of Winston-Salem, NC and later Shannon Gray nursing home, Jamestown, NC passed away on Tuesday, March 26^th at age 87. 

Buddy was born December 1, 1936, in Winston-Salem, NC to the late Walter Sr. and Stella Tate Cole. He was the youngest of five siblings, all of whom preceded him in death: Carol Cole, Eileen Cole Haneline, Barbara Cole Nixon and Edith Cole Thrift.  

Buddy grew up in the Southside Community of Winston-Salem, NC and graduated from James A. Gray High School in 1954. He was active in the Gray High School football program and served as manager of the team. After high school, Buddy trained with Datsun (later Nissan) to become one of the first fully certified master mechanics in the USA. He began his career with Leonard E. Warner Inc. He later worked with Modern Chevrolet and retired from Flow Motors.    

In 1964, Buddy married his beloved wife, Margaret Orrell Cole. They were dedicated to each other for over 50 years until her death due to cancer in 2014. Buddy was a deeply religious man and a founding member of Arcadia Church of Christ. 

Buddy is survived by his son, Charles Wiley Cole of Lexington, NC; and his daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Cole Hawley of Ashburn, VA, and her husband Hugh F. Hawley; and a grandson, Benjamin Cole Hawley of Cary, NC. 

A memorial and burial will be held at 2pm on Saturday, March 30^th at Arcadia Church of Christ 3448 Enterprise Rd, Lexington, NC 27295.  Mr. Cole will lie in state in the church sanctuary one hour before the service. Officiating the service will be Brother Tony Morrison and Brother Bobby Leonard.