Lavern COLE

COLE, Lavern passed on February 1, 2018. She was born in Louisville, Kentucky August 5, 1928. She was married to retired Army Sgt. Joseph Cole until his death April 19, 2012. Lavern was, above all, a servant of God. She worked for decades for the Catholic Diocese of Tucson. As a house manager for the priests of St. Pius X parish, she claimed to have kept the clergy in line for many years. Her career continued at St. Pius as director of Hermanos, a program that served the disadvantaged of Tucson. She then served as the coordinator of the parish Samaritans Program that served those in the parish with emergency assistance. She retired, but continued her social service on a volunteer basis. For 30 years she distributed clothing to children at Christmas time with the help of her friend Tom. Lavern also participated in the parish's Ladies Boutique, and Handicapped Encounter Christ retreats. What she objected to the most when she became ill was that her illness limited her ability to serve others. Lavern is survived by her brother, John Churchill; sister, Teresa Hines; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Ellen Churchill, her brothers, Edward Churchill and Vincent Churchill, and her sisters, Mary Ann Churchill and Yvonne Churchill. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1800 North Camino Pio Decimo, Tucson, Arizona. A reception will be held at the church immediately following the services. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Lavern's memory to the St. Pius X Catholic Church Food Pantry. Interment will be at a private service at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Lavern will be buried next to her husband.