Edwin James Cole, 87

Edwin James Cole, 87, passed away Saturday, May 12, 2007, from kidney failure at his home in Beaverton, Ore. He was born June 16, 1919, in Sylvania, Ohio, and spent his childhood in Ohio and Michigan. He attended Bowling Green University.

During World War II, Ed served in northern Canada, followed by Skagway, Alaska, where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Lee Frazier, a civilian employee of the Army. They married May 4, 1944, in Juneau, Alaska.

After being discharged from the Army, Ed, his wife and infant son settled in Elizabeth's hometown of Portland. He worked for 13 years as an engineer for Standard Oil Company. In 1959, he founded E.J. Cole Construction Company, which he operated for 25 years until his retirement in 1984.

In 1954, Ed visited Ashley Lake while on a hunting trip with his friend Don MacLean. Ed immediately fell in love with the Flathead Valley and built a summer home on Ashley Lake that served as the family's retreat for 40 years. At the lake, Ed's children and grandchildren learned the beauty of nature, including the call of a loon, identification of animal tracks, canoeing, fishing and hiking. Everyone who visited the Coles' home fell as deeply in love with the area as Ed had.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Cole is survived by three children; six grandsons; two great-granddaughters; and his sister, Elizabeth Trachet.