Mary Emma Cole

Mary Clayton Cole passed away into the arms of Jesus on September 20, 2021 at the age of 83 after living with dementia for many years. Despite the dwindling loss of her physical and mental abilities, she always maintained her good sense of humor and positive attitude. There will be a memorial service at Plymouth Park Methodist Church in Irving Texas at 11AM on October 30, 2021. Mary was born on October 20, 1937 in Kerens, TX. Her family later moved to Hubbard, TX where she graduated from high school. After high school, she attended Southwestern for one year. After getting married, while raising two boys and working, she later attended North Texas State University and obtained bachelors and master degrees in Business Education. After graduating from NTSU, she taught Distributive Education at Highland Park High School for several years. She left teaching to help in starting a couple of businesses; one, was a multi-media company, and the other was a wholesale distributor and warehousing company. She then worked for many years at the Dallas Trade Mart, managing a showroom for giftware lines. She later left that showroom to open her own showroom within the Dallas Trade Mart, where she worked until she retired. While working at her other jobs, she also prepared taxes at H & R Block, working in the Premium Office as a Sr. Tax Preparer for 25 years. Mary loved sitting on the porch swing looking out over the backyard, watching, and hearing birds sing. Her love for animals extended to her taking care of and eventually semi-taming several feral cats who would become family members. While married, Mary was in the Irving Woman's chorus. Later, she became a charter member of The Irving Chorale, singing with them for 25 years, and enjoying their trips to Canada, England, Scotland every few years. She valued people and liked having conversations over coffee. Mary also enjoyed the Cowboys, Rangers and Mavericks and liked to attend baseball games with family. Mary is survived by her son Terry Cole and his wife Pam, in Naples, FL, son John Cole in The Colony, TX, grandchildren Mary Ann Perdue, Andy Cole, and Anna Cole, and 6 great grandchildren. She also leaves 6 nieces and nephews who are children of her recently deceased sister Martha Bell from Hubbard, TX.