Ernest Viola Cole Jr., age 77, of Columbus, KS passed away Sunday (December 18, 2005) at 11:36 a.m. in the Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg, KS after an illness.

Ernest V. Cole Jr. was born April 10, 1928 at Drexel, MO the son of Ernest Viola Cole Sr. and Mary Carolyn Randall. He was of Baptist faith. He graduated from Cherokee County Community High School in Columbus, KS in 1945. He was a Crane Operator with the Hamm Construction in Perry, KS. He was a concerned and friendly man who never meet a stranger.

Ernest was a Veteran of World War II serving in the US Navy.

He was a member of the Engineers Union 101 in Kansas City, MO.

Ernest married Marcelene Faye Martin on March 10, 1998 in Lake Tahoe, NV, she survives of the home.

Additional survivors include one son Drew Cole of Topeka, KS; and one daughter Donna Roney Topeka, KS; one step son Danny Nichols of Oroville, California and a step daughter Susan Cantrell of Fresno, California: two sisters Shirlye Lawson of Owasso, Oklahoma and Dolores Brastetter of Corpus Christi, TX; four grandchildren; five great grandchildren; five step grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Ernest's body has been taken for cremation. Memorial Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday (December 22, 2005) at the Simpson Funeral Home 323 S. Kansas Ave. Columbus, KS with Wayne Mason officiating. Private burial will be in the Park Cemetery Columbus, KS, The family wishes memorials to the Harry Hynes Hospice and may be left at the Funeral Home.