H.R. No. 165
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the kindness,
  generosity, and philanthropic goodwill of Thomas Edward "Ed" Cole,
  longtime benefactor of Stephen F. Austin State University, who
  passed away on December 5, 2019, at the age of 97; and
         WHEREAS, Born on July 22, 1922, in Homer, Louisiana, Ed Cole
  was the son of Edna and Thomas Edwin Cole, and he grew up in Longview
  with the companionship of two sisters, Johnette and Helen, and a
  brother, Hiram; he attended welding school, worked at a shipyard in
  Beaumont, and eventually joined the United States Air Force, which
  deployed him to England during World War II; after being discharged
  from military service in 1946, he found a job as a salesman for an
  oil field supply company in Longview; his foray into the oil
  industry led him to later found his own company, Cole Rental Tools,
  in 1958; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Cole married the former Gwen Peck, the love of
  his life, on February 14, 1966; the couple resided in New Orleans
  until relocating to Nacogdoches in 1978; a self-made man and a
  successful entrepreneur, Mr. Cole enjoyed giving of his own time
  and resources to nurture the growth of the community and the
  students at Stephen F. Austin State University; through the years,
  he and his wife provided funding for numerous facilities on the
  campus, including an art center and a concert hall; they also
  endowed scholarships in music, theater, STEM, and basketball to
  help finance the education of SFA students; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Cole were among the most celebrated
  benefactors in SFA's history; the couple were regarded with
  tremendous esteem and affection by the Lumberjack community, and in
  recognition of Mr. Cole's storied devotion to the university, he
  was presented with its prestigious Honorary Doctorate of Humane
  Letters in May 2019; his involvement with SFA further included
  serving as a trustee for the SFASU Foundation and a member of the
  Lumberjacks Booster Club, Friends of Music, and the College of Fine
  Arts Dean's Circle of Excellence, and he made frequent appearances
  at athletic games and luncheons; he was also engaged in the wider
  community as a member of the Nacogdoches Rotary Club and other
  organizations; and
         WHEREAS, Ed Cole left an indelible mark on Nacogdoches
  through his altruism and commitment to higher education, and
  although he is deeply missed, the contributions that he made over
  the course of his extraordinary life will continue to resonate long
  into the future; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Thomas Edward Cole
  and extend sincere sympathy to his loved ones; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
  Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Thomas
  Edward Cole.
 
  Clardy
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 165 was unanimously adopted by a
  rising vote of the House on March 10, 2021.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House