Brian Douglas Cole

Brian Douglas Cole (March 5, 1950 - September 13, 2024) was laid to rest on August 23, 2025 at Vestal Hills Memorial Park in Vestal, NY, with his father, mother and sister. He is survived by his daughter Jennifer (Darryl), son Andrew (Sarah) and granddaughter, Alissa.

Brian was born and raised in Binghamton, NY. He attended Binghamton Central High School, where he ran track and cross country, graduating with the class of January 1968. After high school, he attended Lafayette College, in Easton, PA, where he was part of the cross country team, a proud brother of Theta Chi fraternity and had a one-time engagement as a drummer with the Lafayette College marching band. After earning a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering, he went on to earn his M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. His post-graduate career included Engineering, Operations and Plant Manager positions at several chemical manufacturing corporations in New Jersey.

Brian cultivated a variety of hobbies and interests in his life. A spur of the moment backpacking trip with his college roommate and sometime brother-in-law inspired a 25-year pursuit of the Appalachian Trail. The pair ultimately trekked over 1200 miles, summiting Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Washington and Cole Mountain, among other peaks, along the way. Brian was an avid genealogist and was proud to have mapped the family tree all the way back to Charlemagne. He was a scholar of the Civil War, which is one reason he eventually settled near Gettysburg. He would happily act as an amateur battlefield tour guide to friends and family, sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of the battle. In retirement, he found his passion as a rock hound. He spent many happy hours sledgehammering rocks in quarries, hunting out the best specimens, which he meticulously cut and polished. His polished rock cubes garnered something of a cult following within the local rock clubs. He was active in the Franklin County Rock & Mineral Club, where he loved to share his knowledge with the younger members.

When it came to expressing his emotions, our father was a man of few words. So we will honor his memory by emulating him in this and say only that we loved him well and know that he loved us. Rest in peace, Dad and Granddad. We miss you.