Billy "Bill" Earl Cole

Billy Earl Cole, affectionately known to many as Bill, embarked on his final adventure on February 17, 2025, at the respectable age of 89. He was born on June 30, 1935, in Porter, OK to Cecil and Bertha (Davenport) Cole. Bill was a man whose laughter was as rich as the soil he so loved to farm. He passed away in Muskogee, OK with the same quiet dignity with which he lived his life, surrounded by the land of Coweta and the people he cherished.

Bill's early years were spent on the family farm, where he juggled his studies at Haskell High School with the demanding schedule of farm life. He graduated on May 28, 1953. Bill’s work ethic was as sturdy as the oak trees that line the Oklahoma plains, and it wasn't long before he traded the tranquility of the farm for the discipline of the military, serving as an MP in the United States Army.

After his service in the Army, He met and married his beloved Billie Bess Combs on January 15, 1960. He and Billie Bess built more than a house in Coweta; they built a life rich with love, laughter, and the kind of stories that became family legend. 

Bill's life was a tapestry woven with threads of hard work and simple pleasures. He was a man who knew the value of a good day's work on the farm, the serenity of fishing, the thrill of four-wheeling, and the satisfaction of a garden well-tended. Bill was as generous with his time as he was with his tools, never one to shy away from helping a neighbor or sharing a joke that was sure to be followed by his infectious chuckle. His house was a hub of activity, with the hum of conversation and the sizzle of barbecue during countless family cookouts. The swimming pool was not just a place to cool off but a gathering spot where memories were made and laughter echoed under the Oklahoma sky. Bill was the master of ceremonies for every family celebration, his humor as much a staple as the grill he barbequed on.

Bill is survived by his daughters, Rhonda Cole and Kerri Sargent and husband Mark. Bill's story wouldn't be complete without acknowledging his role as the patriarch of a growing brood. He became and will be missed as the kind of grandpa who could fix a tractor with one hand while bouncing his grandsons on his knee with the other. Grandsons, Brandon Murray, Daren Murray and wife Sarah, Jordan Peck, and Cody Foster, and great-grandchildren, Austin, Kelcie, Kaiden, and Jett, will carry on his legacy of generous laughter and handy solutions to life's little problems. Bill is also survived by his siblings, Doris Cole, Karen Antu, and Everett Cole. 

Bill was preceded in death by his loving wife, Billie Bess Cole, parents, Cecil and Bertha Cole, and his siblings, Arlene Matthews, Shirley Dean, Robert Cole, Doyle Cole, and Norman Cole.

Bill leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter, a family that spans generations, and a multitude of nieces and nephews who will continue to tell the tall tales and share the jokes that Bill loved so much. His grandsons and great-grandchildren will grow up with stories of a man whose generosity knew no bounds and whose toolbox was always open.

A memorial service celebrating Bill’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Brown Funeral Home Chapel in Coweta, OK.

Family and friends are invited to share memories online at www.brownfamilycares.com. The family of Billy Earl Cole entrusted his care, cremation, and service to Brown Funeral Home & Cremations, 210 S. Broadway, Coweta, OK 74429, 918-486-5515.