Obituary of Peter Cole

Peter David Cole, a long-time resident of Eugene, Oregon, died Sunday, February 17. He was 57 years-old. Peter is survived by his mother, Ethel McPherson Cole (Marcellus, New York), his children, Forest (Eugene, Oregon), Rachael (Portland, OR), and Mason (Austin, Texas); his four siblings Nancy “Camille” (Portland/Eugene, OR), Mary (Eugene), Robert (Phoenix, NY), and Melissa Delaney (Marcellus, NY). He is pre-deceased by his father, Peter Wilcox Cole, in May 2012.Born and raised in Marcellus, New York, a small town west of Syracuse near the Finger Lakes, Peter spent most of his life in Oregon where he worked as an artistic stone mason and brick layer. His work, including river rock chimneys, fire places, pillars, fountains, and outdoor Bar-B-Q kitchens, is well-known throughout the state. He began working in the masonry field at the age of 14 as an apprentice through the NYS Boces program. As a young man in Oregon, he befriended an older river-rock mason from Russia who taught him the art. He left his mark in stone, rock, and brick all over the Willamette Valley.Peter had a gift for befriending the elderly to whom he was kind and helpful. In addition to his artistic talents, Peter was a musician and a comedian. To quote life-long friend, Jill Nightingale, “…he was one of the greatest people I’ve ever known…he could make anyone laugh.”Arrangements by Musgrove Family Mortuary.