Obituary: Adelaide Dolley Cole, 97, of East Hampton

Information via Spencer Funeral Home

Adelaide Dolley Cole, 97, of East Hampton passed away in her sleep on Sunday night, January 9 at home. She was the loving wife of Gerald Cole for 75 years.

She is survived by three cildren, Clyde Cole (Barbara), Wayne Cole and Geralyn Yocher (Edwin). She is predeceased by a son, Calvin Cole and a grandson, Hallock Yocher. Four special grandchildren and eight wonderful great-grandchildren also survive her.

Adelaide was born at home on March 24, 1919 in North Vassalboro, Maine to Evelee and Moses Dolley being the fourth of six children. Her first employment began at age 10 as a waitress for a local bed and breakfast. During and after graduating from Waterville High School she worked as a counter clerk at LaVerdiere's Drugstore in Waterville, Maine where she met her husband, Gerald who was a student at Colby College. She later worked seasonally between Bar Harbor resorts and Boston restaurants.

Being an attention to detail person who loved to write, she applied for her jobs and her girlfriends' jobs through the mail. They would all get hired from her letter writing campaigns and traveled together to the seasonal waitressing positions. She also worked for wealthy families in the Booth Bay Harbor area as a nanny and on their dining room wait staff.

She was employed at Governor Viles mansion in this capacity being hired by the governor's wife from a local restaurant. Upon Gerald's college graduation they married in November of 1942 and settled in the Boston area as he became employed at Monsanto Chemical Company. Seven years later they moved to East Hampton where she was a devoted wife and mother. She ran a daycare service from her home for many years. She also worked at Wall's Dairy and at the gold building of the CBT Bank in the Hartford executive dining room.

In her later years she became a prolific watercolorist winning many awards statewide.

She was a perfect balance of a mama bear and a tiger mom, being both protective and pushing her children to achievement, always holding them close to her heart. It was made clear that we were to go out on our own, come back upon achieving success, never to embarrass the family or cause the family any undo anxiety. She loved to bake and enjoyed many afternoon tea parties with neighborhood lady friends at her home.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 13,at 11:00am in the Second Congregational Church of Middle Haddam. There will be no calling hours. A reception will follow in the lower hall of the church after a graveside ceremony at Union Hill Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Spencer Funeral Home. Donations in Adelaide's memory may be made to the Middlesex Hospital Hospice Program c/o Middlesex Hospital Department of Philanthropy 55 Crescent St. Middletown, CT 06457 or to the Second Congregational Church 52 Middle Haddam Rd. Middle Haddam, CT 06456.

To leave online condolences please visit www.spencerfuneralhomeinc.com.