Clyde C. Cole Jr.

1932 - 2021

Clyde C. Cole Jr.

Our beloved father, grandfather, brother and well respected Tulsa leader, Clyde C. Cole Jr. passed peacefully from this world January 21, 2021, at 88 years of age. We are saddened by his passing, but eternally grateful for his long life of love and service and for the assurance that he's now resting in the everlasting arms of our Lord.

Clyde was born May 4, 1932 in Chickasha, Oklahoma, to Clyde and Alta (Lassiter) Cole. He was a solid student and excelled in sports including track, basketball and his favorite, football. Clyde attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on a football scholarship and was a starter on their first undefeated team. He then received a second football scholarship to Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, where he achieved his Bachelor's degree and, more importantly, met Marcia Anne Johnson. They were subsequently married, and became pregnant while he was enrolled in law school. Needing a career more than another degree, Clyde applied for the Chamber of Commerce manager job in Guymon, Oklahoma. He knew immediately that he'd found his true calling, and a short while later set his sights on the Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce executive director position. Over the next eleven years, he and Marcia had four children (one daughter died in infancy) and he held Chamber positions in Oklahoma City; Columbia, SC; Enid, OK (five years) and South Bend, IN, before arriving in Tulsa early in 1967, where a fifth child was born. During his 31 year tenure as President of the Metropolitan (now Regional) Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, Clyde was instrumental in the economic, social and cultural development of Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma. His focus was on improving quality of life through forward looking programs like Goals For Tulsa and Leadership Tulsa, and initiatives like River Parks, Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Tulsa Community College and University Center at Tulsa, which evolved into OSU and OU campuses. Clyde's vision for and establishment of a public/private partnership through the Chamber attracted numerous major industries and employers to the area, including Whirlpool, Kimberly Clark, Hilti, American Airlines, Metropolitan Life and State Farm. His economic development efforts for the region were global in scope and took him all over the world including Japan and Russia.

In 2012, as a result of a fall, he suffered a traumatic head injury and brain hemorrhage. With the amazing care, love and support of his daughter, Dedi, Clyde fully recovered and the family sees the last nine years as bonus time with our Dad.

Clyde was a lifelong sports fan, especially of local college and Dallas Cowboys football. He was an avid reader and huge history buff, particularly Civil War, and enjoyed genealogy as well. Next to Tulsa, his favorite location was his summer home in Red River, NM.

Our family were among the earliest members of Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church, where Clyde served as deacon and elder. At the time of his passing he was a member of Southminster Presbyterian, Tulsa.

He adored and was extremely proud of his ten grandchildren, and loved spending time with them. We all will miss and remember him as our loving, funny, generous, kind, smart Dad and Gangy.

He is survived by his sister, Marilyn Findley of Fort Smith, AR; children, Clyde Cole lll of Tulsa, Dedi Skipper and son-in-law,Mark Skipper of Sand Springs, Doug Cole of Longmont, CO, Mark Cole and daughter-in-law, Shona Cole of Magnolia, TX; and ten grandchildren.

The family plans to hold a public celebration of Clyde's life later this year.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Herman and Kate Kaiser YMCA of Greater Tulsa or the Lewy Body Dementia Association.

Leadership positions held: Board member - U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Bank of Tulsa, Indian Nations Council of Governments; President -Southern Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives; Session member - Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church.

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