Spotlight on Legendary Toledo Attorney Eddie Cole by Mike Bruno
At 104 years of age, no one would think wrongly if Eddie Cole voiced a few complaints about his early life, but that wouldn’t be Eddie Cole. He is one of the most appreciative people you’ll ever meet. After all, he started practicing law in 1951, at the age of 31. He officially retired in July, 2011, after practicing at a high level for over 60 years. This is an amazing record. yet, when one includes Eddie’s early years; well, this is the making of a legend!
Eddie grew up in the Deep South of Greenwood, Mississippi. His parents were sharecroppers. When Eddie was 10 his father passed away. so, to help his family during the Great Depression, 10 -year-old Eddie Cole took to the fields and went to work. Did Eddie let that get him down? Apparently not. He worked hard and studied harder, becoming the valedictorian of his high school graduation class. He earned a scholarship to Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, but his college career was interrupted when Eddie enlisted with the US Army in 1943.
He was sent to the South Pacific where he served in Japan, the Philippines, and New Guinea before being honorably discharged in 1946. Returning stateside, he finished his undergraduate work and then came up to Toledo to visit his sister and look for work. He worked construction jobs and also at Electric Auto-Lite. In 1947, he met Dean Charles W. Fornoff and enrolled in night law school at what was then known as Toledo University College of Law. He and William Thomas were the only men of color in the class.
In the 1970s, he worked as Assistant Director of Law for the City of Toledo and was appointed to several positions and boards by the Governor of Oh
io, including
the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. He was also active in the NAACP.
Staying busy and working hard were consistent themes in the life of Eddie Cole. He recalls working Saturdays as a law student at the law office of Jesse Heslip + J. Slater Gibson, inserting the supplements into the volumes.
His early years focused on general law practice, including criminal defense. In one memorable case, Eddie defended a client charged with Breaking and Entering. The case was tried to a jury, but
they couldn’t agree on the verdict. As a result of Eddie’s representation, an angry and frustrated Judge Harvey Straub declared a mistrial for his client.
In later years, Eddie Cole’s practice focused on preparing wills and trusts, as he began serving a more mature client base. He finally recalls practicing in the Lucas County Probate Court and
says he enjoyed his dealings with Judge Willis Ludeman. Outside of the law practice, Eddie was active at Braden United Methodist Church, teaching Sunday school. He was married to Edrene Benson Cole, who passed away in 2007. the couple has two children Edwin and Elecia as well as three grandchildren.
When I spoke to Eddie recently, he told me that he is living in Detroit with his son. He likes to “work, get up, and keep records.” He also enjoys reading and “some TV.” Although he no longer lives here, Eddie Cole retains a strong connection to Toledo and the Northwest Ohio legal community. He returns for special law-related events including the annual Eddie M. Cole Blac
k Legacy Scholarship Luncheon hosted by the Thurgood Marshall Law Association. After all these years, Eddie Cole is still adding to his legendary story.
