Peter Cole journeyed forth on Monday, September 2, at 1:50am, peacefully, at the Center for Acute Hospice Care in Charlottesville, VA. Peter was surrounded in his final days by family. The love he felt from his communities, near and far, brought him great comfort.
His head was always in the clouds contemplating new ventures. He was an idea-a-minute kind of guy. He was reflective, engaging in deep philosophical discussions, and he could riff with the best of us. Peter knew who he was, and supported everyone’s right to stand in their own realities.
Peter often said that his retirement was lived up front, that his ability to travel, and truly live life, occurred throughout his early years. In retrospect, we are all grateful for this trajectory.
Sport and business took him all over the globe. In his lifetime, Peter reached many milestones. From 1983-1995 he played professional basketball in Germany; he was the Associate Director and Business English Lecturer at the European Business School (EBS) Language Institute within the EBS University for Business and Law University in Germany; in 2006 he co-founded an organization named GoSmile Uganda, and for the last seven years he taught at the Blue Ridge School in St. George, VA.
Peter’s most fulfilling work occurred at Blue Ridge, and these years were filled with the powerful impact he had on young men’s lives. Peter didn’t just teach English, he helped students attain comfort within growth, a skill for the ages. Peter’s love of English translated into his other passions – reading, writing, music and learning about what ‘s new and what ‘s next. An outdoor enthusiast, Peter loved a good hike, or game of tennis, complimenting his career in basketball.
Peter is survived by his wife Katy Cole, and their daughter Larissa Cole; by his daughter Sonja Cole (he will miss his girls so) and her husband Jason Findley; by siblings Brenda Cole and her wife Tanya Zucconi; Marilyn Cardillo and her husband Kenneth Cardillo; Kenneth Cole, Jr. and his partner Barry O’Coin; by his cousin-like-a-brother David Brogan, and by a niece/nephew and grands-galore. Peter’s numerous cousins and their families were important to Peter, and were ongoing sources of love and support. Peter was pre-deceased by his mother, Loretta Cole (Brogan) and father, Kenneth Cole, Sr.
Whether you were family, a student, a colleague, a teammate, or someone he met on a plane (you know who you are) – if you were in Peter’s orbit, you were bound to have an intense relationship. It might have taken different forms, but Peter’s brilliance shone through, when and where it needed to, to brighten each of our lives. Thank you, Peter.
On Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 10:30 am, family and friends are invited to gather at Beals-Geake-Magliozzi Funeral Home, 29 Governors Avenue, Medford, MA. followed by interment at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford, MA. All those in attendance are invited to a luncheon at Ristorante Lucia, 13 Mount Vernon Street, Winchester, MA. from 12:30 to 3:30 pm.
So many want to recognize Peter’s impact on their lives, or the world they shared with Peter, please consider these organizations:
The Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD) Foundation, Inc. For general information: https://cjdfoundation.org/, to donate: https://cjdfoundation.org/donate/.
The Center for Acute Hospice Care (CAHC) – For general information: https://hopva.org/center-for-acute-hospice-care/, to donate: https://hopva.org/donate-online-now/.
GoSmile Uganda – One of Peter’s passions, a social business that empowered sustainable farming, encouraged financial stability. For general information: www.gosmileuganda.org, to donate: https://gosmileuganda.org/donate.