He graduated from Bolton High School and served in the United States Navy during World War II.

[2] A Democrat, Cole served in the Louisiana House of Representatives during the administration of Governor John McKeithen.

With nearly 62 percent of the vote, Cole defeated two opponents, Republican Patsy McDowell Cooper and fellow Democrat C. Alvin Tyler.

[2] Son Jeffrey Cole, a Baton Rouge attorney, noted that his father never planned to serve on the state Supreme Court but ran for the post when the opportunity presented itself.

Jeffrey Cole said that his father was instrumental in the establishment of a retirement system for state court judges: "...