Randy Reppert Cole, age 74, left for his eternal home on January 11, 2025 at Houston Methodist Hospital after a sudden unexpected illness.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 14th at First Baptist Church Winnfield, Louisiana from 5:30 to 8:30. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 on Wednesday, January 15th also at First Baptist. After the service, he will be laid to rest at Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball, Louisiana. Not only is this place special to Randy because of the ties it holds to family, but also because it is where he rededicated his life to the Lord in his early adulthood.
Randy was born in Monroe, Louisiana on September 9, 1950. He was a proud graduate of West Monroe High School class of 1968. While there, he played football and pitched for the Rebel baseball team. After that, he attended Louisiana Tech University where he earned an undergraduate degree in Zoology in 1972. While at Louisiana Tech he commuted to class with the “Wild Bunch Transit System.” However, the highlight of his college years was a date to the State Fair football game with a girl who had graduated from West Monroe with one of his sisters.
Next, he attended LSU School of Dentistry where he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1976. On December 28, 1974, while on a break from dental school, he married that West Monroe girl from the State Fair game, the love of his life Melanie Ann Read. They were a devoted couple and God richly blessed their marriage over 50 years.
In the summer of 1976, the community of Winn Parish was in need of a dentist and Melanie had fond memories of her early childhood there, so the couple moved to Winnfield where Randy established his dental practice. From that point on around town he became affectionately known as “Dr. Cole.” Randy’s philosophy of dental care centered around compassionate treatment of each and every patient and that care was not just reserved for business hours. He was always willing to attend to dental emergencies that would arise. Over his 45 year career, Dr. Cole helped thousands of patients in a practice that ended up spanning not just Winn Parish but the entire surrounding area.
In addition to being a devoted family man, Randy was an active member of the Winnfield Lions Club for almost forty years and twice served as President. He was honored to be named a Melvin Jones Fellow for being dedicated to humanitarian services for Lions Club International. He has also served as the Winn Parish Republican National Committee chair and the President of the Winn Parish chapter of the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association.
Thursday afternoons and on weekends you would likely find Dr. Cole and friends on the golf course. He loved the time outside and never minded a hot summer day, but you can be sure if it was below fifty-five degrees he would be indoors. To him yard work was not a chore, but joyful work in which he took pride. He was an avid bridge player his whole life and was a member of numerous card playing groups through the years. Although he holds degrees from both Louisiana Tech and LSU, Randy was an “Ever Loyal Be” Bulldog. He enjoyed supporting both the College of Applied and Natural Sciences and Bulldog Athletics with his family and friends.
Of all the places Randy loved and spent time, none were more dear to him than First Baptist Church Winnfield. He loved the Biblical teachings he learned from the pulpit, the music ministry that always touched his heart and his Sunday School class where they studied God’s word together and strengthened each others’ faith as iron sharpens iron.
Randy was preceded in death by his parents, Pat Phillips Cole and Bonnie Lee Reppert Cole.
Randy is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Melanie Ann Read Cole; daughters Shelley Cole Parker (Jeff) of Choudrant, LA and Kendal Cole Singh (Kevin) of Ruston, LA; grandchildren Preston Luke Parker, John Cole Parker and Patrick Woodgate Singh; siblings Karen Cole Ballenger (Grady) of DeLand, FL and Kristy Cole Farr (Doug) of Monroe, LA and his beloved nieces and nephews.
Serving as pallbearers will be Lyn Bankston, Steve Bates, Curtis Crenshaw, Rick Hanna, Mervin Parker, Billy Thurmon, Tommy Harrel and and Jimmy Walker with honorary pallbearers being the members of Joe Kelley’s Sunday School class.
To celebrate his life, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church in Winnfield, LA 201 E. Court Street, 71483; Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home P.O. Box 4196 Monroe, LA 71211; or Samaritan’s Purse P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
