Jay Cole's Obituary
JAY DANIEL COLE
Jay Cole, 81, of Fayetteville, AR, passed away after a long battle with Congestive Heart Failure. Jay was born on July 12, 1929, to John and Rhoda Cole in Paragould, AR. He attended Hardin Simmons University where he met and married Thelma Gladys Garrett and served at Shepherd Air Force Base during the Korean conflict.
Jay also attended Drury College and Oklahoma Baptist University as a ministerial student. While in school Jay pastored First Baptist Church in Rosedale, OK. Last Summer he was honored as the oldest living pastor at the church's 100 year anniversary.
As a Registered Engineer with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Jay worked as a Safety Engineer for Royal Globe Insurance, Pacific Indemnity Insurance, and Massachusetts Bonding.
Although Jay's strongest calling was to missions and ministry, he proved to be very enterprising, establishing several businesses and ministries, such as Missouri Electronics, Dallas Western Aviation, Western Insurance Company, Missionary Tape & Equipment Supply (a large distributor of name brand magnetic tape and high speed tape duplication equipment), and Mission Service Supply. Providing electronic, video and sound equipment to churches and mission organizations was the primary focus of the ministries he founded. He was an innovator in his time, introducing the cassette tape as a valuable tool to churches and Christian organizations worldwide. He also established the first known Bible teaching, cassette lending library in the world. The last outreach ministry of Jay's life was to found Mission Fellowship Bible Church in Fayetteville, AR., but he is best known in NW Arkansas for his TV and radio spots called “Speaking Out.”
Jay is survived by his wife, Gladys Cole, three daughters, Donna Scott of Colorado Springs, CO., Susan Vanderwater of Oklahoma City, Janice Hadaway of Rome, GA., one son, Jay W. Cole of the home, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
The family will greet friends on Thursday, June 16, from 7 – 9 PM at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home, 4520 N. Crossover Rd., Fayetteville, AR.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 17, 2011, at 10 AM at University Baptist Church, Fayetteville, AR. with Mike Lumpkin officiating. Burial will be in the National Cemetery, Fayetteville, AR.
In lieu of flowers, Jay's wishes were that donations be sent to Gideons International.
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