Patsy Cole

Patsy Bartley Cole

On May 11, 2017, Heaven welcomed Patsy Bartley Cole to her eternal home. Memorial services honoring her life and faith will be held at 2:30 P.M. Saturday, May 13 in the Martin Baptist Church, Martin, LA. Officiating will be her nephew Mark Cole of First Church, West Monroe. Rev. Richard Kaufman will assist. Family visitation will be held from 12:30 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. and visitation for friends will be from 1:00 P.M. until 2:15 P.M. After the service, interment will follow in the Martin Cemetery.

Born to John and Patsy Jean Bartley in Shreveport, LA, Patsy spent the years of her childhood in central Oklahoma. As a teen, she moved with her parents to Sulphur, Louisiana and graduated from Sulphur High School. After graduation, she enrolled in Northwestern State University. Through one of her suite mates, Barbara Cole (Dupree) she met the boy who would become the love of her life, Barbara's brother Wiley.

After NSU and two children, Patsy worked for the Red River Parish School Board as a classroom teacher, a middle school math coordinator, and a curriculum specialist.

Intelligent, charming, and congenial, Patsy was a people person. She loved the children of her classrooms, appreciated those with whom she worked, and believed the best of everyone she knew. Because of her honesty, her honor, and her Christian values, people were drawn to her. They saw her as friend, a confidant, and a person of principle. To know her was to respect her. To know her was to trust her. To know her was to love her. Everyday, she lived the truth of her favorite scripture: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…." (Philippians 4:13.)

A loving wife, a godly mother, and doting grandmother, Patsy enjoyed planning holidays for the family. Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter were special times of worship, celebration, and food. There was nothing she enjoyed more than the laughter and joy that emanated around a table of "Nana's" home cooking.

Preceded in death by her mother, Patsy Jean Bartley, she is survived by her father, John, by her mother-in-law, Phyllis Cole, by her husband, Wiley, a son, Wiley, II "Chuck" and a daughter, Kimberly Dupree (Sam). She is also survived by six granddaughters: Emily Cole, Brittony Cole, Kassie Cole, Hannah Dupree McGrew (Peter), Madison Dupree, and Rebekah Dupree. Her sister Shelia Kratzer (Gary) and her brother Richard Bartley (Kim) also survive her, as do 3 nieces and 9 nephews. In addition, her first great-grandson, Austin, expected in August, survives her.

Her pallbearers are nephews Dr. Philip Cole II, Dr. Jason Dupree, Dr. Eric Dupree, Todd Dupree, Dan Dupree, and Matthew Kratzer.

Honorary pallbearers are John Griffith, Jimmy Ivy, Ricky Adams, Chris Moore, Dana McCoy, Wilber Davis, Ben Bryant, Randall Dupree, Carroll Daniels, and Reginald Prelow.

Donations honoring Patsy may be made to the church or charity of choice.