Roll Call Tribute

Carla Diane Cole 

July 8, 1944 - January 7, 2024 

Carla Diane Cole was born on July 8, 1944. She was raised in Wichita Falls by her parents, Theron and Pauline Cole, attending City View Schools, Zundy, Old High, Midwestern, and later graduating from Texas A&M University.

For Carla, marry/divorce was a matter of rinse and repeat. However, it was her first marriage, to Morris Key, that happily resulted in her daughter, Sarah, and it was in Carla’s final marriage where she found “the love of her life”, Dick Chinnock, who pre-deceased her in 2004.

Carla was effervescent. She bubbled with quiet enthusiasm and joy in whatever she did, and she exuded kindness. She was also known to be a good listener.

At the beginning of her working life, as a telephone operator for the Bell system in North Texas in the early 1960s, she had people calling in to the switchboard just to talk to her. As the headmaster's secretary at a military school, she was the mom the young boys so missed.

As a newspaper reporter for the Brenham Banner Press (her “favorite job ever”), she could be counted on to be as evenhanded and truthful as was possible - causing both Democrats and Republicans to complain that she favored the other team, a source of endless amusement for her family.

As the sole representative for Principal Financial Group in Brenham, Texas, people knew her (from her days as a reporter) and knew they could trust her. – Whether they were ranchers coming in with their overall pockets full of cash after a cattle auction, executives, or blue- or pink-collar hourly workers, they knew they could count on her to speak and act plainly, honestly, and supportively in their best interests.

While working full-time most of her life, Carla didn’t get much chance to volunteer until her daughter Sarah was grown (except for Sarah-related stuff – PTA, Girl Scouts, Band Parents!), but then she became very active. From supporting foster kids, assisting the animal shelter and taking in stray dogs, to developing a giving program for the nearby Brenham State School, ferrying elderly ladies to Democratic Party events and getting involved in local elections, helping popularize recycling, writing press releases for every organization she belonged to, and even serving out a term on the Brenham City Council, Carla got involved in causes and with people who mattered to her.

Carla’s favorite saying was, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Faced with a looming problem, Carla simply kept moving forward and had faith that a solution could be found. And it generally was.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2008, Carla focused on living her remaining years as fully as possible, joined in this with enthusiasm by a supporting cast of favorites – of course her daughter Sarah, her friend Alison Read and her children Noah and Hadley and favorite dog Mindy, BFF Claire Peters, informally “adopted son” Rick Wise, cousins Mark Evans and Sharon Latimer, childhood friend Ray Hedrick, friends Ngoc Bui, Melody Scalzo, and Doris Scalzo, beloved caregivers at Quail Park Memory Care in West Seattle, and so many others who crossed her path – neighbors, caregivers, and of course every dog who ever came near her.

Those post-diagnosis years included travel to Italy with Sarah to soak in renaissance art and Italian cooking, time tending her succulents garden, walks with her dogs, so much time shared with her daughter and friends. Carla’s team supported Carla, easily transitioning to provide additional help as help was needed.

Carla embraced life and didn’t dwell on what she had lost or was losing. She lived in the moment and celebrated what she had and who she loved. Whether walking, pushing her walker, or later riding in her wheelchair, Carla enjoyed the local farmers market, a cup of coffee, a Lindor truffle. She appreciated live music and loved to see and hear whatever was happening around her. She was known for her bright smile and cheerful attitude, even at the end of her life.

Carla died at sunrise on her mother’s birthday, January 7, 2024, in West Seattle, with her daughter by her side.

As a friend recently said, Carla leaves “a legacy of love and intention”. If Carla could ask you to do something for her and for yourself, it would be to look for ways to help each other, to improve your community, to move forward in a practical way – whether it’s mowing a neighbor’s lawn or “sitting” for a neighbor’s pet, whether it’s getting enough rest so you can manage to work a tiring job and still attend your child’s game or event in a supportive way, being there for an elderly relative, or volunteering in a political race that you feel will make a difference. DO something. Take part. Get involved. Care.

No funeral service will be held. Carla requested cremation, and her ashes are being spread in places meaningful to her and her family.