Kit Cole

Ms. Kit M Cole, respected Marin financier and Marin Women's Hall of Fame Honoree, died peacefully in her sleep in the morning of June 20, 2022, at the age of 81. Kit was born in Oakland, CA and was a long-term resident of Marin County, CA where she raised her 6 children and 5 stepchildren. The indomitable Kit Cole is most widely remembered as a pioneer in the Bay Area's financial community and as a champion of women's empowerment dedicating her professional life to bringing women into leadership roles in the financial field. Ms. Cole earned her BA in English from California State University, Long Beach, with honors and her MBA in Finance from U.C. Berkeley School of Business. As a young divorcee with five children under the age of seven, she left her job teaching to work as an assistant in a brokerage house. She quickly obtained her broker's license and became one of the first women stockbrokers hired by a major brokerage firm in the United States. Five years later, she founded Cole Financial Group, Inc., an investment advisory firm specializing in providing financial guidance, education, and investment management to women. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Cole co-founded New Horizons Savings & Loan in San Rafael, CA, becoming one of the first women in the country to be the founding Chairman of the Board of Directors of a financial institution. New Horizons was one of the first financial institutions in the country organized and managed by women. In 1991, she founded and chaired Tamalpais Bank in San Rafael, CA. She was also Chairman Emeritus of Novato Community Bank. Kit was an accomplished portfolio manager and managed marketable securities in Marin County for over 50 years. Kit was a fixture in the community offering programs in personal finance and investments for women and co-founded two community organizations, Wednesday Morning Dialogue and Marin Forum. A Girl Scout leader for seventeen years, Cole has served on several community boards, including the Bay Area Girl Scout Council, United Way and Mill Valley Film Festival. She was currently Vice-Chair of the Marin Women's Commission and Co-Chair of the Commission's Economic Resource Committee. She is survived by her brother Stephen Margossian, her five children Kimberly Kaselionis, Jeffery Tappan, Alan Tappan, Jamison Tappan and Luke Cole as well as 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Kit was the daughter of Margo Margossian and Ruby Minter who predeceased her as did her sister Roseanne Edmondson and daughter Kristy Tappan. For the family she leaves behind, her loss is inexpressible - a wound that will never quite heal. She leaves us with a legacy of wisdom, strength, perseverance, generosity, and a passion for world travel. Please watch over us. Love and gratitude to a woman who sacrificed much to give us all. A "Celebration of Life: will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on September 29, 2022, at the San Rafael Elks Lodge, 1312 Mission Avenue, CA 94901 (415) 453-1108. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity.