Dr. Jack Howard Cole's Obituary
Jack Howard Cole, age 88, passed away Monday, August 22nd peacefully at home. Jack was born to Louie Howard and Lillie Reamey Cole on June 7, 1934, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Jack’s mother died when he was only four years old and he was raised by his dad and at times, his paternal grandparents.
A high achiever even at an early age, Jack skipped 5th grade and graduated 5th in his class at Tulsa’s Webster High School at 16 years old. Aided by his wrestling coach, 17-year-old Jack entered the University of Michigan on scholarship.
After one year, he joined the Army, first going to Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was ready to ship out to Korea when the Armistice was announced. He always remembered the great shout that went thru camp. Jack went on to serve two years in the Occupational Services in West Germany.
He returned to Oklahoma and married his high school sweetheart, Carol Sue Smith. They moved to Stillwater where Jack continued his education at Oklahoma State University under the GI bill, receiving his Bachelors, Masters, and PH. D in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to receiving his doctorate in 1968, he accumulated nine years of design experience in both the aircraft and aerospace industries.
After receiving his PH. D degree, Jack served as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. In 1976, he received the University-wide Arkansas Blue Key Alumni Award for Outstanding Teaching and Research.
At the end of 1981, he left the U of A to join the Exploration R&D Division of Conoco, Inc. in Ponca City, Oklahoma. As Director of Systems Research and Engineering Group, he led a team of fourteen electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, and technicians in the successful development of VIBROSEIS seismic technology supporting exploration geophysics. In 1994, when Conoco ended its research efforts, the company transferred its borehole research program to the University of Arkansas, under Jacks direction.
In 1999, Jack established his own business, Cole Engineering, Inc. and later co-founded Cal-Zark, a small business in Farmington, AR, serving as the Director of Advanced R&D.
His years of research led him to work at the Idaho National Laboratory reactor. He also worked at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and at NASA for the first moon-landing project. Jack has over 30 patents, several were pioneering inventions that enabled Conoco to establish itself as a world leader in subsurface diagnostics and imaging in wells.
One of Jacks unique qualities was his love of mentoring students, guiding many of them into successful careers.
After his wife Carol died, in 1998, Jack took up ballroom dancing as a diversion from work. Through dancing, he met Joyce Stafford, who became his loving partner for more than 20 years. Jack is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Niblock (George); grandsons George Jr., Beau, and Austin; his sister Kathryn Scarbrough; and partner Joyce Stafford.
A visitation will be held at Moore’s Chapel on Friday, August 26th, from 5 to 7 pm. A Chapel Service will be held at Moore’s Chapel on Saturday August 27th at 1:00 pm with a private family burial to follow at Fairview Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, 1378 June Self Drive, Springdale, AR 72764 or online www.nwafoodbank.org
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