Florence Cole

Florence G. Cole, Independence, passed away Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010 at Rosewood Health Center at The Groves. Services will be at 10:30 am, Wed., Jan. 27 at the First Baptist Church of Independence, 500 W. Truman Rd., Independence, MO 64050; interment at Blue Springs Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 9 am, Wed. prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the church.
Florence was born in Hazelhurst, MS on June 5, 1914 to Robert F. and Sarah (Tanner) Ragland. She graduated from high school in Potter, KS, attended the Kansas City Business College and later completed creative writing classes at Longview Community College. Florence worked for several years as a supervisor in the mail order department at Montgomery Ward and Co. in Kansas City. She was a member of the church for more than fifty years and was active in its Outreach Program. Florence was a member of the PTA at Southwest (now Proctor) Elementary School and Truman High School and was a loyal supporter of Missouri Girl’s Town in Kingdom City. She served as President of the GFWC Nu-Era Study Club from 1979-81, was a Past President of the Community Association of the Arts and was a member of the Independence Young Matrons.
Florence leaves many friends and loved ones, including her husband of sixty years, Woodrow W. Cole; her son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Deborah Ann Cole, all of Independence; and a niece Mrs. Shirley White of Overland Park, KS. The family would like to thank Tonya Gaitley and the other staff members of Rosewood Health Center and the members of the Groves Community Hospice for their attentive care.