Thomas J. Cole

Thomas J. Cole, 92 of 314 West Saylor Street Atlas passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2020 at his home with his family by his side.

Born in Mt. Carmel on October 11, 1927 he was the son of the late Pasquale (Charles) and Carmella (Votta) Cole.

He was a 1945 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School.

He was married on November 27, 1954 in Berwick to Lillian (Ficca) Cole who preceded him in death on May 31, 2010.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947.

Thomas had been employed before his retirement as a specialty butcher and had previously worked in and owned a coal mine for a number of years.

Thomas was a member of the former St. Paul’s Church in Atlas and was currently a member of Divine Redeemer Church, Mt. Carmel.

Surviving are two sons and one daughter, Dr. Louis Cole and his wife Kendra, Thomas Cole, Jr. and Lillian Dressler; nine grandchildren; his brother-in-law, Dan Ficca, Jr. and his wife Phyllis; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one sister and nine brothers, of particular note, Sylvester, Louis, Tony and James.

He was one of the first in the region to begin serious weight training, which he continued into his 90’s, and he passed that passion for weight lifting onto his children and grandchildren. He was also a standout baseball player on local teams in the area, drawing interest from major league teams before being drafted to serve in the army.

In retirement, he continued to remain active using his specialty butcher skills to make Italian favorites like porkette and his famous "soupies." He also enjoyed baking his own Italian bread and his own wine and sharing it with family and friends. He tended to his large garden in the spring and summer and gave much to the local food bank. He very much enjoyed cooking and sitting down to family meals.

He loved Italian opera, baseball and boxing and was an avid reader with particular attention to the Roman Empire and his daily Wall Street Journal. He was devoted to family, friends and his faith.

Funeral services will be private. Burial will be in at All Saints Cemetery, Bear Gap. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the future. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made to Divine Redeemer Church, 438 West Avenue Mt. Carmel, PA 17851. Joseph J. Stutz, Inc. Funeral Home, 40 South Market Street, Mt. Carmel, Joseph J. Stutz, III Supervisor is entrusted with arrangements. To leave a condolence to the family, please visit www.stutzfuneralhome.com