William J. Cole, 89, of Utica, passed away Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare. Bill was born in Utica on May 22, 1925, a son of Edward H. and Neva J. (Trosset) Cole. He was a 1944 graduate of Utica Free Academy. Bill served in the Marine Corp from 1943 to 1946. During this time he served in the South Pacific for one and half years with the sixth and fifteenth Marine Divisions in Guadal Canal, Okinawa, and Guam and with the twenty-second Marine Division in Tsingtoa, China. At Our Lady of Lourdes Church on September 11, 1948, Bill was united in marriage to Mary Louis, a blessed union of 65 years until her death on May 20, 2013. Bill was employed in the family painting and contracting business, Edward H. Cole and Sons. He was a parishioner of St. Peter's Church, North Utica, where he served as a lector, Eucharistic minister and belonged to the funeral ministry. He was a member of the Nocturnal Adoration Society and attended Christ the King Retreat House. Bill was also a member of the American Legion Post #1376, New Hartford, the VFW Post # 8728, Schuyler, the Sixth Marine Division Association and an Honorary Life Member of the Knights of Columbus Council #189. Bill was very proud to participate in the second Oneida County World War II Memorial trip to Washington, DC. Bill is survived by his children, Deborah and her husband, Joseph Neve-Rinaldo, of Russia, NY, Timothy and Theresa Cole, of Geneva, NY, and Daniel and Wanda Cole, of Brunswick, MD and a special family member, Anne Gay Levitt and her husband Sam. He leaves his grandchildren and great grandchildren, Rebecca Cole, Douglas and Stephanie Cole and their children, Milo and Parker, Joel and Amy Lincoln and their children, Emma, Katey, Matthew and Donovan, Julie and Jay Didas and their children, Jack and Jace, Jody and Frank Gleichauf and their children, Landon and Laila, Robyn Cole and his daughter, Arianna, Holly and Nicholas Perez and their daughter, Reina, Michael and Miranda Perez, Ryan Perez and Joseph and Jennifer Rinaldo and their children, Dylan, Faith and Jacob, a sister, Agnes Reisner of MA, a brother and sister-in-law, Edward and Shirley Cole, of Utica, and in-laws, Frederick and Jill Louis of NY, Suzanne and Arthur Desens, of New Hartford and Joan Cole, of Clinton. Bill was predeceased by two brothers, John and Robert Cole, and a sister Veronica Biladeau. Mr. Cole's funeral will military honors will be held on Saturday, January 3, 2015 at 10:15 from the Heintz Funeral Home, 408 Herkimer Rd., N. Utica and 11:00 at St. Peter's Church. A spring burial will take place in St. Peter's Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home are Friday from 4 - 7.