Funeral services for Thomas Orville “Tom” Cole, age 78, of Taft will be conducted Friday afternoon at 3PM at Higgins Funeral Home with David Dobson officiating. Burial will follow in the Blanche Cemetery. Mr. Cole passed away Thursday morning in Huntsville Hospital.

A native of Hackleburg, Alabama, Mr. Cole was the son of the late Oscar Benton and Oma Hambrick Cole. He was Salutatorian of the Hackleburg High School in 1951,  ROTC  instructor at Auburn University where he also received his mechanical engineering degree in 1956. He was an Air Force jet fighter pilot.  Mr. Cole worked for NASA for awhile but spent the rest of his career with the Army Missile Command in Huntsville where he retired in 1993 and he was  a member of the United Church of God.

Survivors include his wife Catherine Foti Cole of Taft, children Jennifer Cole Knight and husband David of Atlanta, GA, Angie Cole Barnett and husband Ken of Orlando, FL, Thomas Craig Cole of Destin, FL, Sarah Cole Yoder and husband Mel of Vestavia Hills, AL, Stephanie Rosa Cole of Huntsville, AL and Thomas Orville Cole II (Tommy) and wife Lisa of Houston, TX, grandchildren Joseph Knight, Lyla Knight, Charlie Barnett, Jake Barnett, Sam Barnett and Catherine Ann “Cate” Cole.

Visitation with the family will be Friday from 2-3PM at Higgins Funeral Home.