Joan Wade Cole

1935-2025

Joan Wade Cole, affectionately “Dr. J”, a 25-year Las Vegas resident,

passed away peacefully on April 2nd, 2025 surrounded by her family in

Las Vegas, NV. She leaves a rich legacy of family, friends and a lifelong

dedication to teaching and education. Joan was born on July 21st,

1935, in Boston MA. the only child of Joseph Wade and Jean Wade

(Raulinaitus).

In 1942, at the age of 7, she and her parents traveled across country to

Southern California on a train which she shared “with troops being

deployed in the Pacific for WWII”. There her father worked for a US

Government contractor as an atomic research drafting engineer. Her

mother worked for North American Aviation on the assembly line as a

veritable “Rosie the Riveter”.

Joan graduated from Saint Mary's Academy High School in Brentwood,

CA in 1952 and was awarded a scholarship to Mount Saint Mary's

College (University) in Brentwood, CA and later the University of

Southern California( USC) in Los Angeles where she graduated in 1956

with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Her passion for travel led to a position for United Airlines as a flight

attendant on the coveted Los Angeles to New York “first class route”

where she met and later married Jerry Lee Cole, a recent Kings Point

Merchant Marine Academy graduate, in Boston Massachusetts in 1957.

They settled in Los Angeles where she became a mother “extraordinaire”

having five children in six years, running a “tight ship” as a homemaker,

sports team’s mom, PTA leader and Realtor for Forrest E Olson Real

Estate Company.

Joan’s need to provide for her family at this time led to a remarkable

career as an educator and author and to the unceasing sharing of her

knowledge with her family that encouraged independence and

industriousness.

Joan became an elementary school teacher in 1971 when she

commenced a lifelong career as a teacher and school administrator.

She was a kindergarten and grammar schoolteacher for 22 years in Los

Angeles, Ventura, and Riverside counties. During this time, she was an

instructor of bilingual students and co-authored the nationally

acclaimed “CROSSTIES” elementary school textbook series focusing

on grammar school student cognition and reading motor skills. This

textbook series helped pioneer a new hands-on approach to reading

and learning that shifted attention away from the teacher centered

practice at the time to more “pupil centered instruction”.

During this time Joan received two master’s degrees: from California

State University, Northridge, Los Angeles (Master of Arts in Educational

Psychology, Early Childhood Education, 1974) and California State

Lutheran College, Los Angeles (Master of Science in Education, 1979).

She later earned her PHD of Doctor of Education (Elementary

Curriculum and Instruction, 1981) from Brigham Young University,

Utah.

After she received her Doctorate Degree from BYU, she took positions

as a Vice Principal and later Principal in the Palm Springs Unified

School District in Palm Springs CA. where she was instrumental in

opening two new elementary schools in the district (Della Lindley

Elementary and Cahuilla Elementary schools). She was later honored

as Principal of the Year for Palm Spring Unified School District in 1992.

Joan was a lifelong traveler having visited Europe, the UK, Central

America (Costa Rica) Canada and Mexico but was particularly fond of

her Ocean Cruises (literally dozens) with friends and family where she

enjoyed all the upgrades that went along with her “preferred customer”

status.

Joan moved to Las Vegas in 2000 to be close to her daughter Jena and

her grandchildren and to enjoy the many arts, shows and activities she

had discovered while visiting her family there. She was an active

volunteer serving at the Smith Performing Arts Center in Las Vegas,

Opportunity Village, Las Vegas and for the last 10 years of her life as a

docent at the National Historical Mob Museum in Las Vegas where she

proudly supervised the Crime Lab attraction.

Joan was a lifelong avid reader, often driving herself to the local Las

Vegas Library right until her passing so that she could discuss the

latest non-fiction work or fictional best selling novels with her cherished

and beloved “Spanish Oaks Book Club” friends.

Joan is survived by her children, Jeffrey W. Cole (Paula) of Newport

Beach, California; Bradley T. Cole (Yoko) of Henderson, Nevada; Darren

L. Cole of New York City, New York; daughter Jennifer Cole McIntosh

of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Colin P. Cole of Kayenta, Arizona and her

grandchildren Alexandra Cole Bell, Connor Cole, Nicholas McIntosh,

Michael McIntosh, Sean Cole, and Maya Cole along with her two

beloved cats Lucy and Jeanie.

Her kindness and desire to teach and share her wisdom influenced

many and “Dr J” leaves this world having left her children,

grandchildren and those close to her both loved and inspired.

A Celebration of Life will be held on April 12th, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the

Spanish Oaks Community Center at 2201 Spanish Oaks Drive, Las

Vegas, Nevada. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked

to consider the non-profit Opportunity Village- Services & Support

Organization in Las Vegas, Nevada where Joan was an active

supporter and where her grandson Nick has received tremendous love

and support for many years.