James Ernest Cole

On August 2, 2017, James (Jim) Ernest Cole was peacefully born into eternity. He entered this world in Los Angeles on February 23, 1933, the second of three sons born to parents Ansel Edwin Cole and Pearl Grant Cole. The Cole family was raised with a rich foundation in God’s word. Jim was baptized at Bible Church when he was 14 years old with family friend Lavina Turner, 11. Over the next several years, a spark developed and Lavina chased Jim until he finally caught her. They started “going steady” when Jim was a senior and Lavina a freshman. He took her on their first date to the original In-N-Out Burger, a restaurant for which he remained a loyal fan his entire life. Jim graduated from Baldwin Park High School in 1951. After high school, he attended UCLA and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Jim married Lavina on April 23,1955 at the same church where they had been baptized together 9 years earlier.

Jim and Lavina raised four children. He was a firm, loving and fair father. Ahead of his time, he encouraged his daughters to learn everything, even topics traditionally taught to boys. And each of the children remembers well the one saying they never wanted their mother to utter, “Wait ‘til your father gets home!” He often played the game he called “Fly like an eagle” with the kids. Lying flat on the floor, they would stand on his hands balancing while he pushed them up in the sky ready to steady them with his leg if they fall backward. This is how Jim saw his role as a father and grandfather. He wanted those he loved to soar and was willing to catch them if they fell.

Right out of college, Jim embarked on an outstanding career in the field of engineering, working with spacecraft and medical devices relating intravenous delivery and transducers used in blood pressure measurement. Jim earned several patents supporting the progress of medical science and brought home Christmas trees he made out of plastic transducer parts. His career took him all over the globe to places like Amsterdam, Belgium, Puerto Rico and Singapore. Jim was a determined man. When he was working, his coworkers would say that if they thought something was difficult to do, they would give it to Jim and he would figure it out. If he was ever told that something could not be done, he took it as a personal challenge. Born disabled, he never let obstacles get in his way, whether they were physical ailments or the opinions of others.

Throughout his entire life, Jim loved his family, cherished his wife, served in his church and dutifully pursued deeper understanding of his Lord and Savior. When Jim studied the bible, he often underlined key verses and made simple notes in the columns. Mark 10:45 is underlined in his bible. It says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” In the margin there is a single, underlined word that captures Jim’s approach to life: serve.

Jim never hesitated to generously give love and support to anyone who needed it in whatever way he was capable. He has been a steady presence in the lives of his 4 children and 18 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren who each can recall birthday songs delivered over the phone and the thousands of miles driven to visit family or attend special events.

Jim is survived by his spouse Lavina Cole; daughters Lawna Wilson and Joy Sampson (husband Harold); sons Phil Cole (wife Sherri) and James Cole (wife Robin); grandchildren Gregory Bransford (wife Kerrie), Melynie Bransford, Brian Cole (wife Krystal), Joshua James Cole, Mark Cole, Scott Cole, Micah Cole, Amy Cole, Ayden Cole, Joshua Jacob Cole (wife Kristin), Royanne Cole, Tarra Green (husband Robby), Nicole Kippel (husband Steve), Brandon Sampson (wife Danna), Elijah Sampson (wife Amy), Joe Sampson (wife Ashley) , Michael Wilson (wife Ashlyn), and Keith Wilson (wife Cassie); brother Don Cole (wife Shirley); sister-in-law Donna Fleming (husband Jack); brother-in-law Forrest Turner (wife Pat); eighteen great-grandchildren and many more nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, CA 93003. Condolences may be sent to TedMayrFuneralHome.com.