Clara Bright Cole

Clara Augusta Bright Cole was born on August 25, 1918. She was the youngest of four children; the late Verlie Quick, Jonas Bright and Daisy Robinson. Her father, James Thomas Bright, a well-respected farmer and mother Daisy Stubbs Bright, a school teacher, both encouraged a higher education for their children and instilled within them a love of poetry and music. Their mother Daisy taught them all to play the piano, but it was Clara who excelled. Within a short time, she became the church's pianist at Shiloh United Methodist Church located in Bennettsville, S.C. It was there that she was informed by her pastor, the late Rev. L.A. Gelzer of a very promising young minister from Charleston, S.C. by the name of Edgar W. Cole. They were later introduced by Rev. Gelzer in 1942 at the annual conference in Florence, S.C. One year later they were married by Rev. Gelzer at Shiloh United Methodist Church in Bennettsville, S.C. Clara was the perfect wife for Edgar. She readily made herself available as church pianist, sang on all choirs and served in other needed capacities. As her mind began to decline, she never forgot GOD. She would constantly ask people "Do you know the LORD?" She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Edgar W. Cole, Jr. and Cynthia Cole of Randleman, N.C., daughter and son-in-law Kjell and Gardenia Palsson of Stockholm, Sweden, grandchildren, Edgar W. Cole III of Rock Hill, S.C., Anthony Cole of Concord, N.C., Anastasia Palsson and Natasha Palsson, both of Stockholm, Sweden, and Jasmine Staley and Stacey Scotton both of Asheboro, N.C. and a host of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Clara's family will receive friends on Friday, August 24, 2012 from 7:00-8:00 pm at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Ave., Asheboro, N.C. and also one hour prior to the funeral service on Monday, August 27, 2012 at Centenary United Methodist Church, 60 Wentworth St., Charleston, S.C. Funeral services will be held on Monday at 2:00 pm at the Centenary United Methodist Church and burial will follow in the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Charleston, S.C. The family would like to express a special thank you to the staffs of the Randolph Hospice House and Woodland Hill Care & Rehabilitation for the loving care given to their mother. The family requests that friends not send flowers, instead memorials may be made to Randolph Hospice House, 416 Vision Dr., Asheboro, NC 27203.