Obituary of Richard Cole

Richard Cole, 82, of Freehold passed away on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. He was born and raised in Brooklyn and settled in Freehold 16 years ago. Richard was an excellent poker player among his friends, enjoyed playing the card game “May I” with his family. He bravely served for his country in the United States Navy. Richard retired from the NYPD after twenty years of dedicated service as a Police Sergeant. Above all, he enjoyed spending quality time with his family, and was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was predeceased by his parents, Leslie and Helen Cole; sister's, Margaret Burke and Patricia Allen; and brothers, Leslie Cole and William Cole. Richard is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nicoletta Cole of Freehold; children, Helen Finkel and her husband, Andrew of Manalapan, Richard Cole and his wife, Donna of Staten Island, and Catherine Cole and her fiancé, Greg of Howell, and Nicoletta Giangiobbe and her husband, Michael of Brooklyn; grandchildren, Amanda and her fiancé, Philip, Nicholas, Samantha, Michael, and Alyssa; and brother's, Joseph Cole of Hamilton and Michael Cole of NC. Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Sunday, February 9, 2020 from 2:00 to 6:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Monday, February 10, 2020 at 9:00 AM for the procession to his 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. Interment will follow in Brigadier General William C. Doyle New Jersey Veterans Cemetery, 350 Province Line Road, Arneytown. For those who desire, memorial contributions in Richard’s name may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. For information, directions, or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com