William Earl Cole

William Earl Cole was born on April 09, 1949 to the late Roxie Lee Cole and McKinley Cole in Phillips County (Coffee Creek) Gumbottom, Arkansas.  He was the oldest of eight (8) children.

He attended the M.M. Tate High school and after graduating, moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where he received  his license to drive large trucks and owning his own restaurant business.  He later met the love of his life, the late Ms. Gloria Jean Ellison, and they joined as one in Holy Matrimony.  They had four (4) children, with two (2) special children:  Colett Ellison and Scottie Ellison; and later two (2) children together:  Charnel Cole -Merrell and William Earl Cole, Jr. 

William moved to Toledo, Ohio with moving his family later and with continuing to drive large trucks.  After years of driving trucks and due to his health, he had to medically retire from this industry.  He later moved back to his home of Marvell, Arkansas with purchasing a home and starting his own business of landscaping.  He was a faithful member of Coffee Creek Baptist Church.  He served internationally as a faithful member and became a Deacon of this church serving under the leadership of Reverend J. Turner.

He later moved his membership to St. Matthew of Gumbottom (Marvell) under the leadership of Reverend Kenneth Caffey where he was a faithful church member until his heath started to fail.  On Sunday, August 20, 2023, our beloved William Earl Cole was called home.

William leaves to cherish his loving memory four (4) sisters:  Carolyn Maxine Cole-Henry of Madison, Wisconsin; Christine Shirley Cole of Little Rock, Arkansas; Denise Cole-Stocker (Antoine) of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Jeanette Cole-Purley of Little Rock, Arkansas; three (3) brothers:  Koza King Cole (Brenda) of Balany, Alabama; Willie Hermon Cole (Vera) of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Alvin L. Cole of Jacksonville, Arkansas; two (2) children: Charnel Cole-Merrell of Toledo, Ohio; and William Earl Cole, Jr. of Manifest, Ohio; two (2) very special children:  Colett Ellison-Taylor (Obie) of Lexington, Kentucky; and Scottie A. Ellison of Louisville, Kentucky; a grandson who he raised along with his village since birth:  Marshawn Cole of Atlanta, Georgia; ten (10) grandchildren; nine (9) great-grandchildren; and a host of special nieces, nephews, cousins, and play brothers.

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