Godfrey Roderick Cole

Obituary For Godfrey Roderick Cole

Godfrey Roderick Cole
February 1, 1955 - November 23, 2025

Godfrey Roderick Cole was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on February 1, 1955, and was the eldest child of the late Honorable Justice Marcus E. A. Cole and the late Mrs. Thelma Rose Cole (née Salmon). He passed away on November 23, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, at the age of 70.

The Cole family lived in London, England, for ten years before returning to Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 1964.

While in Sierra Leone, he attended the Regent Square Municipal Primary School, Fourah Bay College Primary School, and the Albert Academy. Upon completing his studies, he worked at Leone Transport and Distribution Company and Standard Chartered Bank in Freetown.

During his early teens, he met Doreen Williams. He migrated to the United States in 1976 and married Doreen in 1977. Their relationship spanned many years, and the marriage was blessed with three children.

He attended Lincoln Technical Institute in Columbia, Maryland, and worked for many years as an automotive mechanic in Maryland and Florida until his retirement. In 2018, he married Binetou Diatta Cole.

Godfrey loved traveling. He was fun-loving, charismatic, family-oriented, extroverted, intelligent, caring, practical, and fiercely loyal. He was genuine and a dedicated father, grandfather, brother, cousin, uncle, and friend. He touched the lives of many and was known to make a lasting impression wherever he went. He was well known for his storytelling and his ability to connect with family and friends. He loved cars, philosophy, science, watching movies, and music—especially playing the guitar and piano to reggae music.

He now joins his beloved parents; his grandmother, Daisy Dean; and his younger brothers, Marcus Cole and Eugene Cole, in heaven. His spirit will live on, and he will be greatly missed.

Godfrey is survived by his wife, Binetou Diatta Cole; his children, Arvel Cole, Christina Redmond, Michael Cole, and Daphne Cole; his grandson, Kymani Cole; and his siblings, Patrick Cole (Mantie) and Desiree Cole Thompson (Keith). He is also survived by his uncles, aunties, cousins, nieces, and nephews, as well as many relatives, including the Coles, Salmons, Kamaras, Williamses, Taylors, Domingos, Thorpes, Browns, Andersons, Wrights, and several close friends and family members in Sierra Leone, the United States, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Senegal, Venezuela, and Australia.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Service:
Thursday, December 11, 2025
11:00AM - 1:00PM

Episcopal Church of Our Savior
1700 Powder Mill Road
Silver Spring, MD 20903