Mary Frances Davidson Cole

Mary Frances Davidson Cole

BATON ROUGE – Mary Frances Davidson Cole (Fran Cole) died at her home on Saturday, January 15th, 2011. She was 82 years old.

A native of Vienna, Louisiana and a resident of Port Allen and Baton Rouge, Ms. Cole was a graduate of Louisiana State University and received a Masters in Library & Informational Science (MLIS) in 1969.

Ms. Cole was Library Director of the West Baton Rouge Parish Library from 1969 until her retirement in 1994. She was a founding board member of the West Baton Parish Museum and a member of the Westside Women's Club; she was a longtime supporter of the American Red Cross, Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

A loving mother and grandmother, Ms. Cole is survived by her children Joseph Steven Cole (and wife Cathy) of Baton Rouge, Susan T. Cole Doré (and husband Lloyd F. Dore’ III) of Abbeville, and Laura M. Cole Codrescu (and husband Andrei Codrescu) of Yellville, Arkansas; grandchildren, Christian T. Cole, Amy Cole Miller, Benjamin Rosenthal, William Rosenthal, Laura Anne Cole Dore’, and one great grandchild, Leigh Shelby Miller.

Fran Cole will be buried at the Vienna Cemetery in Lincoln Parish next to her parents, Eugene H. Davidson and Thereese Spinks Davidson.

A reception honoring her life will be held at the West Baton Parish Museum (845 N. Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, Louisiana 70767 ) from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday January 22, 2011. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the West Baton Rouge Parish Library, 830 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen, Louisiana 70767.