1928 – 2016
GREENWOOD — Irving L. Cole, 87, of Greenwood passed away on Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Ledgeview Living Center in West Paris with his family by his side.
He was born June 1, 1928, on the old farm on the Greenwood Road, the son of Lester W. Cole and Carrie Winetta Cole.
Irving was brought up in the neighborhood known years ago as Shadagee. He attended school at the end of the Cole Road, and at Locke Mills, through the eighth grade.
He married his first wife, Ellen Ellis, on Sept. 17, 1950, and was with her for nearly 50 years.
Irving worked on roads for the town of Greenwood and state of Maine. He was in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, stationed in Germany. In the service, he was a radio operator, using Morse code.
He worked for 29 years at Ecko Tibbets, later called Gilbert Manufacturing. making up to 4,000 rolling pins a day.
He enjoyed hunting, snowmobiling, dancing and playing his guitar for many years with the Richard Felt Band at dances at the old Town Hall, at various nursing homes, and the Maine Veteran’s Home in South Paris. Irving got his first guitar at the age of 12.
He was a member of the Jackson-Silver Post No. 68 for 53 years, and was a former member of the Franklin Grange and the Greenwood Fire Department.
Irving had a nice smile and had the nickname of “Smiley” in the Army and by the girls at the lab at Stephens Memorial Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel; his son, Elton and wife, Christine, of Woodstock; his daughters, Linda Libby and her husband, James, of Levant, Marie Wilday and husband, Roger, of Woodstock, and Susan Leonard and husband, David, of Mechanic Falls; 14 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; brothers, Daniel and wife, Diana, Elwin and wife, Shirley, and Burton and wife, Dennise; sister, Lillian Noyes; nieces and nephews; stepsons, Douglas Dillingham and wife, Cindy, Donald Dillingham and wife, Caroline, Dana Dillingham and wife, Kathleen, and Darren Dillingham and wife, Kristy.
Irving was predeceased by his parents; first wife, Ellen; brother, Herschel; and sister, Charlotte.
Condolences can be expressed to the family by visiting www.chandlerfunerals.com.
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