Bobby Donald Cole

Bobby Donald Cole, 90, of Ernul, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026, after a courageous battle with colon cancer. Born in Lavonia, Georgia, and known as “Don” in his youth, he grew up in Marietta where he excelled as an athlete, earning honors on the 4AA All-Region and All-State football teams, the Greater Atlanta All-Star baseball team, and selection to Who’s Who at Marietta High School. He attended Wofford College on a football scholarship before a brief stint in minor league baseball ended with an injury, leading him to enlist in the Marine Corps in 1955, where he became known as BD.

Bobby’s Marine Corps career spanned three decades and left an indelible mark. He began as an enlisted flyer in the F3D Skyknight, advanced to Air Traffic Control as a Warrant Officer, earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant, and served as a Naval Flight Officer in the F-4 Phantom. He flew 678 combat missions over three tours in Vietnam, earning 43 Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He retired as a Captain. After leaving active duty, he spent two years in Saudi Arabia as a Lockheed Martin instructor and then enjoyed a 20-year civil service career at NADEP Cherry Point as a production manager. There he was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal for designing and implementing a new inventory system across all 14 NADEP facilities nationwide.

While stationed at Cherry Point, Bobby met the love of his life, Pauline Cooke Smith, at a local bowling alley. They married in 1958 and shared 65 years of marriage filled with travel, community involvement, and laughter. Together they visited all 50 states, drove across Canada to Alaska, toured the UK, Japan, and Europe, yet always returned happily to Craven County. Bobby was a devoted father to sons Jeffrey Dale Cole and Jon Christopher Cole, coaching their teams and supporting his grandchildren’s activities. To the people of Ernul, he was “Mr. Bob,” a beloved substitute teacher at West Craven High School, a respected sports official, and a warm presence on local ball fields and in his church.

Bobby was preceded in death by his wife Pauline, his parents Robert Vard Luther Cole and Blanche Florene Smith, his brother Raymond Cornelius Cole, his granddaughter Regan Cole Graham, and his great-granddaughter Ophelia Katherine Graham. He is survived by his half-brother Stanley Warren Smith, his sons and their families, six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews who will continue to share his stories.