James “Jimmy” Martin Cole was born on December 26, 1954, in Omaha, Nebraska to Robert and Martha Hunt Cole. Jimmy experienced a difficult childhood, as his family was separated when he was young. At the age of nine, he was welcomed into the home of Don and Geraldine Laney of Falls City, Nebraska, who became his loving, adopted parents. Don and Geraldine were deeply rooted in family and faith, and during his youth Jimmy enjoyed singing in the church choir. His love of music even gave him the opportunity to sing overseas with the choir—an experience he was very proud of.

At the age of 20, Jimmy enlisted in the United States Navy. He served aboard the USS Vega AF59 which his brother Walter also served on with Jimmy. During his time in the Navy, Jimmy traveled the world and developed a deep pride in serving his country—a pride he carried with him throughout his life.
After leaving the Navy, Jimmy moved to Arkansas City, Kansas. In 1984, he and his wife at the time welcomed their daughter, Lakea Cole. Life later took them on different paths, eventually bringing Jimmy to Winfield, Kansas. In 1987, while living in Winfield, Jimmy and his third wife welcomed their son, Michael. The family later moved back to Falls City to be closer to Don and Geraldine. In 1991, they welcomed their daughter, Bessy.
While living in Falls City, Jimmy worked a variety of jobs and was known for being resourceful and mechanically inclined. He loved working on vehicles and making modifications—a hobby that stayed with him throughout his life.

In 1993, Jimmy began working for the Stalder Cattle Company in Salem, Nebraska, where he made lifelong friends. He enjoyed working outdoors, operating equipment, and caring for livestock. Jimmy also had a lifelong love of hunting and fishing and looked forward to deer season every year. During his final year, he longed to return to the field one last time, but his health no longer allowed it.
In 2000, Jimmy met the love of his life, Angel Beutler (Gonzalez). He began working at Crosswind Foods, Inc. in Sabetha, Kansas, where he worked alongside his future stepson, Marcus Gonzalez, for nearly 16 years. Jimmy and Marcus shared many laughs, practical jokes, and memorable moments during their time working together. They also served together in the 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery in Hiawatha, Kansas.

Jimmy and Angel were united in marriage on July 4, 2003. Through this union, Jimmy proudly became a grandpa to Marcus and Claudie’s children: Lee, Heather, Maggie, and Katie. In December 2003, Jimmy and Marcus received orders to deploy to Baghdad, Iraq. They deployed together in January 2004 and returned home in February 2005. While deployed, Jimmy was stationed at Camp Slayer serving in Force Protection, while Marcus was stationed at Camp Victory providing Convoy Security. Jimmy made every effort to visit Marcus by delivering mail, and those visits became especially meaningful during a challenging time.

After returning stateside, Jimmy continued serving his community as a proud member of the Falls City Volunteer Fire Department, where he faithfully served for 17 years.

Around 2011–2012, Jimmy’s son Michael, his wife Tiffany, and their three children—Hayden, Hayleigh, and Brayden—moved to Falls City to reconnect and be closer to Jimmy. Later, Michael and his family moved in next door, and Michael began working at Crosswind Petfoods. Jimmy treasured the opportunity to build a relationship with his son and enjoyed every moment spent with his grandchildren. Around this same time, Jimmy also reconnected with his daughter Lakea. Lakea, her husband Bobby, and their children—Kenzie, Danny, and Zoey—visited when they could, which brought Jimmy great joy.
In July, Michael and his second wife welcomed another daughter, Ayla, adding to Jimmy’s ever-growing list of grandchildren.
Jimmy later moved to Bern, Kansas, where he worked for Valley View Milling, a job he truly enjoyed. In his later years, Jimmy faced many health challenges that limited his ability to do the things he loved most. Despite his struggles, he never stopped taking care of others—especially his wife, Angel. No matter how he felt, Jimmy always made sure Angel was cared for, faithfully opening and closing her car door every time.

Jimmy passed away on January 10, 2026.

He is survived by his wife, Angel Cole; his mother, Geraldine Laney of Sabetha, Kansas; his sister, Susie (Mike) Pagnano of Verdon, Nebraska; his brother, Buzzy (Laurie) Cole of Sabetha, Kansas; his sister, Kris (Danny) Sisk of Oregon, Missouri; and his brother, Walter Cole of Horton, Brothers Doug (Shirley) Laney,Jeff (Connie) Laney, Sister Deb (Pat) Laney, Sandy (Sean) Schuetz, Kansas; his stepson, Marcus (Claudie) Gonzalez of Sabetha, Kansas; his son, Michael Cole; his daughters, Lakea (Bobby) Hayes of Stillwater, Minnesota, and Bessy Smith of Lincoln, Nebraska; his grandchildren, Lee Smallwood, Heather Aquino, Maggie Guengerich, Billie Jenkins, Katie Heiman, Hayden, Hayleigh, Brayden, and Ayla; as well as several great-grandchildren.

A memorial service to celebrate Jimmy’s life will be held on Saturday, January 24th, at 10:00 a.m. at the Salem, Nebraska Community Building. A meal will be served following the service. Jimmy will be laid to rest at the Salem, Nebraska Cemetery in the spring, allowing his daughter Lakea the opportunity to be in attendance.