William Cole II

William M. Cole II VIRGINIA BEACH - Cmdr. William Marchant Cole II, 75, departed this life to be with his Lord Sept., 26, 2009. He died peacefully at home. Born in 1934, he was the son of the late Rear Adm. William M. Cole and Emily Lampe Cole of Virginia Beach. He was a Navy junior, and spent much of his childhood and youth in Virginia Beach and Alexandria. A lifelong sailor, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1957, and served for 24 years as a U.S. Naval officer on both coasts, as well as in Italy and Vietnam. He was an accomplished bluegrass musician, playing the guitar, banjo and mandolin. He was an advocate for Civil War battlefield preservation, a commitment that emerged from his deep interest in military history. In recent years, he and his wife Jane wintered on Kauai, where he made many good friends who shared his interests in golf, local music, and the island's history. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Jane; son, William M. Cole III; daughter, Laura C. Hedrick and her husband Steve; daughter, Margaret C. Frankovich and her fiancé Joseph Sampler; daughter, Susan S. Lawrence; and grandsons, Steven D. Hedrick Jr., Tyler B. Hedrick and Robert F. Hedrick. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. at Spring Branch Community Church, 1500 Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach. Cmdr. Cole will be buried at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heartland Hospice Care, whose nurses and aids provided loving, compassionate care. Contributions may be sent to Heartland Hospice Care, 5029 Corporate Woods Lane Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Attn. Sue Jobe and/or to ORPHANetwork, which so lovingly supports at risk children in their orphanages in Nicaragua; mailing address: 1500 N. Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hdoliver.com.