Constance Wing Cole passed away at the age of 101 on Wednesday April 24, 2024 in Windham, NH. Connie was born and raised in Fall River, MA, the youngest daughter of the late Fred and Helen (Wing) Rudd. She was an alumna of Colby Junior College, Connecticut College for Women and Yale University, where she received a Master’s Degree in Nursing. Connie married Alfred W. Cole in 1946 and together they raised their four children in Swansea, MA.
Connie spent most of her professional career in nursing education, first as an Instructor of nursing students, then as Assistant Director of a nursing school and finally as Clinical Coordinator of Education for nursing staff.
Connie was an amazing mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved her family deeply and was most happy when surrounded by them, always eager to participate in whatever was happening. She was fun-loving, had a great sense of humor and never let her age get in the way. Connie also loved reading, music, puzzles, knitting, quilting, and marveling at the beauty of God’s creation, especially the ocean and fall foliage. She was a loyal Red Sox fan and a fierce competitor when playing games or cards.
Connie’s greatest love was for the Lord. Her faith in Him was her foundation and she lived her faith through her many acts of kindness and service to others. She delivered home-cooked meals to those in need, sent cards that she made herself, knitted mittens, hats and scarfs for the young and old, wrote to prisoners who often had no other family, and sat with the elderly and dying. Always an active member of the church, she taught Sunday School, led Bible studies, served as a Deacon and sang in the choir. Connie always put others before herself and touched so many lives in so many ways with her wise advice and encouraging words. She has been called “Mom” or “Nana” by many.
She is survived by her four children, Jeffrey Cole, Gary Cole and his wife Susan Flanagan, Elizabeth Cole and her husband John Grosser, and Debra Schreiner and her husband Sam Schreiner, eight grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Alfred, her 2 sisters, Ruth Murray and Helen Doriss, and her daughter-in-law Nancy Cole.
A celebration of Connie’s life will be held on Saturday May 11, 2024 at Orchard Christian Fellowship Church, 136 Pillsbury Rd., Londonderry. Calling hours will be from 9:00 to 10:45 AM. A memorial service will take place at 11:00 AM, followed by a reception.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Prison Fellowship at https://www.prisonfellowship.org/ (or send to Prison Fellowship, PO Box 1550, Merrifield, VA 22166) or to Orchard Christian Fellowship Church – Missions Fund at https://www.orchardnh.org/give (or send to Orchard Christian Fellowship Church, 136 Pillsbury Rd, Londonderry, NH 03053).