MERIDEN - Rita M. Cole, 89, wife of the late Robert P. Cole, died on Friday, June 5, 2009, at the Bradley Home after a brief illness.

Born in Bennington, Vt. on Oct. 24, 1919, she was the daughter of the late John Z. and Adelina (Breault) Morin. She resided in Meriden from 1939 to 1975, returning to Bennington in 1975 and back to Meriden (Bradley Home) in 2005. She was a graduate of Bennington High School, class of 1938. Mrs. Cole was employed by New Departure Hyatt and Cuno Corp in Meriden and the Union Carbide in Bennington, retiring in 1981. She was a parishioner of St. Laurent Church in Meriden and Sacred Heart Church in Bennington, a member of the St. Ann Society at St. Laurent and also Girls Scouts of America. She was a Cub Scout den mother for many years.

She is survived by a daughter, Adele Cole-Brown of Syracuse, N.Y.; two sons, James A. Cole and his wife, Donna S. Cole and Michael R. Cole and his wife, Sue G. Cole, all of Meriden; a sister, Virginia Ayers of Beaumont, Texas ; 10 grandchildren, Rhonda J. Cole and her husband, Michael Silverman of Brooklyn, N.Y., Michele A. Collins and her husband, William of Apex, N.C., James R. Cole and his wife, Lena of Conway, S.C., Michael R. Cole Jr. of Meriden, Heather Cole of Hamden, Shannon Ducas and her husband, Bert of Meriden, Paige Gardner and her husband, Ben of Syracuse, N.Y., Cole Shebat and his wife, Ashley of Syracuse, N.Y., Blake Shebat of Syracuse, N.Y. and Cameron Brown of Syracuse, N.Y. Also survived by great-grandchildren, Gracie Silverman, Issabella Cole, Andrew Cole, Bethany Collins, Allison Collins, Daniel Collins, Michael R. Cole III, Daniel Cole, Matthew Cole, James Andrews, Haley Andrews, Allissa Ducas, Alexia Ducas and Troy Ducas; and many nieces and nephews, including Marie and Charlie Ray of Bennington, Vt., Dick and Paula Lyons of Shaftsbury, Vt. and Theresa and Ronnie Gilbert of Schenectady, N.Y. She was predeceased by sisters, Catherine Roberts, Irene O'Grady, Mary Jeane Morin, and Alice Morin; brothers, Pete Morin, Gerard J. Morin, John Morin, George Morin, Richard Morin and Charles Morin.

The funeral will be held on Monday, June 8, at 10:30 a.m. from the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main St., Meriden, CT 06450, and at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Church for a Mass of Christian burial. Burial will be in St. Laurent Cemetery. Friends may call at the Funeral Home prior to the Mass on Monday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The family would like to express its sincere thanks to the Bradley Home for the wonderful care given to our mother.

Published in the Record-Journal on 6/7/2009