Theodore Fonda Cole

Reverend Dr. Theodore Fonda Cole



Reverend Dr. Theodore Fonda Cole passed away March 4, 2008. Born in Berwyn, IL, he left at two months of age with his father Rev. Winfred Bryan Cole and his mother Edith Fonda Cole, to China where he was raised in a missionary household with older sister Doris and brother Wilbur. At the age of 14, his family returned to Illinois. In 1944 he joined the Naval Armed Guard Service, after his education was interrupted by the war. He was stationed on 4 different ships, and after his release, he resumed his education, later achieving a B.A. in history and a M.A. in Education from the University of Kentucky. He was working towards a Doctorate degree in Psychology at Northwestern University. He did graduate studies at the School of Education, Northwestern University, and received his Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Sacred Theology from Garrett Theological Seminary.
He served as a missionary professor in Taiwan, teaching pastoral theology, pastoral care, counseling, and psychology not only at the Tainan Theological College for 27 years, but also at Tunghai University for 2 years. He served on the boards of trustees of Soochow University, Wesley Girls’ High School, and the University Christian Service Center, Tainan, which he helped to establish in 1965. He enjoyed preaching, teaching, counseling, and pastoral care in three languages, helping the Taiwanese government to give therapy to war veterans. He was well loved in Taiwan and encouraged multicultural understanding between Chinese, Taiwanese and American cultures.
In his later years, he served in the West Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church for +12 years, serving Welcome Corner, Belding, Casco, and Jackson First United Methodist Churches. After he retired in 1991, he moved back to Belgrade, Missouri, which was his grandparents’ retirement home. He enjoyed helping local churches, the Lion’s Club, the Meals on Wheels program, volunteering as chaplain at the Parkland Health Center, and later moved to St. Louis.
His loves in life were hiking, biking, swimming, traveling around the world, photography, good food, art, Classical music, history, reading and writing. He produced three books: Alienation in Theology, Cloud Over Pahia, and Between Stress and Faith.
His sister Doris Blitch, wife Susan, sons Joseph and Pierre, daughters Dr. Lani, Lucia (Austin Yu M.D.), and Lois, and grand children Andrew and Caroline Yu survive him.
His burial took place March 7th in the morning at the Bennett Bryan Cemetery. His memorial service will take place on April the 12th at the Caledonia United Methodist Church at 10:30 AM. A second memorial service will take place at the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in St. Louis at 3:00 PM. We thank everyone that attended the short-notice burial, and the churches that he preached to, for allowing him to continue his passion: Farmington, Park Hills, Bismark, Potosi, Belgrade, Caledonia, Belleview, Viburnum, Bonne Terre United Methodist Churches, the Joseph Chapel, also the Park Hills, Potosi, Taiwanese Presbyterian Churches, et al. We also thank Georgana Linneman and the Mari de Villa Retirement center nurses and staff for providing special care to Rev. Dr. Cole.
A memorial fund will be available at the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church located in 542 Ries Road. Ballwin, MO 63021. The fund will go towards the Tainan Theological Seminary Scholarship in Rev. Dr. Cole’s name.