Gay Cole

Gay Cole ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Chapel & Cremation Center - Murray on Mar. 9, 2026.Gay ColeGay Cole, our beloved 'Aunt Gay', completed her earthly journey on March 3rd, 2026 at the age of 96.Gay was born December 15, 1929, at home on her father's farm near Fairview, Idaho to Leslie John Cole and Louie McKinnon Cole. This was the farm her grandfather homesteaded and where her father was born. She was always proud of her hard-working English and Scottish ancestors.Gay's Patriarchal Blessing counseled that she had "been well-born, born of goodly parents –parents that love you with all their might, mind, and strength…if you will give heed to their counsel and teaching, if you will listen to them, then you will never have any regrets". Gay lived by this counsel and strived to live her life following her parents' examples and tender teachings.Living on a family farm involved hard work for the whole family and Gay learned the value of hard work and working together for a common goal. She worked alongside her parents and siblings, Nedra, Donald, Lu Gene and Rochelle, to support the family and make the most of the opportunities they were given.When Gay was 8 years old, her sister Nedra, taught Gay to play the piano. Developing this skill changed the trajectory of her life, giving her direction, enjoyment and a love of music for life. The Cole nieces certainly benefited from Gay's love of music. She taught us to play the piano and instructed us in singing and musical performance. She took us all around to perform in programs and family reunions. We can easily trace our love of music back to Gay's instruction, just as Gay traced her love of music to her sister Nedra's instruction and her mother's singing around the house.Gay became a very accomplished pianist and organist. She performed solo pieces and accompanied other soloists, choirs and other performers at all types of venues for many years. She eventually had a Grand Piano and two large organs in her living room. One of her favorite experiences was having the opportunity to play the organ in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. Gay continued to be ward organist almost to the end of her life. A portable keyboard made it possible for her to play the organ for church services at Legacy House, her last residence.Preston High School gave Gay an academic foundation and she continued her studies at Brigham Young University, where she included Music Studies in her curriculum.At BYU graduation in late August 1953, her dad mentioned the possibility of serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Gay soon concluded that this was something she wanted to do and quickly had interviews with her Bishop, Stake President and Elder Mathew Cowley of the Twelve Apostles. She received a mission call to the East German Mission early September, mid-October she was in the Salt Lake Mission Home for training and on November 1st she was on a train to New York to board a ship heading to Germany, arriving in Germany November 15th. By today's standards, that schedule is very, very fast!Gay loved serving as a missionary in Germany. In Germany she was sometimes called 'Gretchen Kohl' by local members, to sound less American. Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the German people was a special time for her. Gay learned to love Germany and the German people, and she held them in her heart for the rest of her life.Gay was a teacher by occupation and a teacher by heart. As a grade school teacher she taught 3rd and 4th grade students. As an 'Aunt' to many, many, more 'students', she taught subjects ranging from piano and organ, to singing, performing, musical theater, good music, reading, caramel cashew sundaes, the color BLUE, compassion, love of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of Family History. We, her students, have been changed because we were blessed to have Aunt Gay in our lives and were taught by her through words, actions and her love.In her Patriarchal Blessing, Gay was also promised that if she lived up to her covenants with the Lord, she would pass into the presence of the Father and be told "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter ye into the joys of the Lord." We, who knew and loved her, know that this was the type of welcome she received as she passed from this life to the next.Gay was the last of her birth family to leave this world, so we are sure there were joyous reunions as she passed on to the other side of the veil. Gay is survived by many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews, as well as the many she chose to be her nieces and nephews and extended family. We will all feel a void in our lives because Gay has gone on ahead. We have been blessed to know her.Gay Cole FuneralSaturday, March 14thJenkins-Soffe Mortuary4760 S StateMurray, UT 84107Visitation 9:00am – 9:45Funeral 10:00amInterment: Fairview Cemetery, Fairview, IdahoBroadcasting Link: https://jenkins-soffe.com/obituaries/gay-coleTo plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.