Grover Hardy Cole, 90, died Monday, December 17, 2018 at the NC State Veterans Home.

A graveside service, with military honors, will be conducted Friday at 11 am in Westview Cemetery with Rev. Ronnie V. Hobgood officiating. The family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 8 pm at Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations.

Mr. Cole was born and raised in Kinston in the Tower Hill Road community. He enlisted in the Army during World War II, serving two years. After returning home, he graduated from Grainger High School. He later served two more years during the Korean Conflict. He worked fulltime with the NC National Guard at Stallings Field. He also worked with EV Webb Tobacco Co. and then began his career with the City of Kinston, starting with the Adkin Canal Project. While with the city, he worked with numerous departments, retiring as the Public Works Director.

He continued serving with the National Guard and attended many military schools at Fort Bragg, Fort Gordon and Fort Benning in GA. He was a graduate of both Lenoir Community College and the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. He served a total of 42 years with the Army and NC National Guard, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was a lifelong member of Rivermont Presbyterian Church where he served in various positions and was a member of the Master Gardeners Club. He enjoyed working in the yard, raising fresh vegetables from the garden, and after retiring, he and his wife loved to travel and go camping.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Grover Wooten and Maybelle Gray Cole; wife of 49 years, Sarah Mozingo Hinson Cole; brothers, William “Bill” Cole, Kenneth Cole and wife, Joyce; and a stepson, Dalton Hinson.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine Cole, of Wilson; son, Grover Hardy Cole, Jr. and wife, Cindy of Rocky Mt.; daughter in-law, Frances A. Hinson, of Kinston; sisters in-law, Edna Cole, of Kinston and Peggy Vandiford, of Farmville; five grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; six great great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

A sincere and grateful appreciation to the Veterans Home of Kinston, especially the staff of the Delta Unit, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, and the staff of 3 West at UNC Lenoir Heath Care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to NC National Guard Educational Fund, Attn: Ken Tyndall, 7410 Chapel Hill Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607 or the National Museum of the US Army, PO Box 96281, Washington, DC 20090-6281.

Arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be expressed at www.edwardsfhc.com.