COLE, LEWIS D., 94, died on Saturday, June 28, Louisville lost a senior statesman, a consummate volunteer and a true leader in every sense of the word. Cole's vision, direction and creativity had a profound impact on many areas of our community and our nation, from Metro United Way to the Jewish community to the pension system for communal service workers across the country. "Lewis Cole was a man of passion, compassion and vision," said Alan Engel, executive director of the Jewish Community Federation of Louisville. "He could always see the broad picture, identify what needed to be done, and build the support necessary to achieve his goals. He has been my mentor, inspiration and dear friend for many years. His death is a tremendous loss for the entire community." A Louisville native, Cole claimed to be a "fifth generation Louisvillian on my mother's side and third generation on my father's side," with a long family history of community service. Cole's great uncle was I.W. Bernheim. A graduate of the Dartmouth College class of '35, Cole married Jean Rothschild of Gloversville, NY, and returned to Louisville to enter the family business, Steiden Stores - a grocery chain that was a predecessor of Winn-Dixie. His two children, David and Judy, were born shortly thereafter. Cole's involvement with community service began immediately as he joined the boards of Congregation Adath Israel (now The Temple) and the YMHA (Young Men's Hebrew Association - today the Jewish Community Center); and, soon after, was appointed to the board of the Jewish Welfare Board, Y's parent organization. The urgency of World War II caused Cole to turn his attention from career and board responsibilities. In 1942, Cole went to Washington with his family to work in the Office of Price Administration. Later, he sent his family back to Louisville, enlisted in the Army's Voluntary Officer Candidates Program and spent three years in the service. "At the ripe old age of 31," he quipped, he became the oldest second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Upon his return to Louisville, he picked up his community service work where he left off. He returned to the board of the YMHA, and became its president in 1948. During his tenure, the YMHA acquired the property on Dutchmans Lane where the JCC is today. He also joined the board of the Jewish Social Service Agency (today Jewish Family and Vocational Service) and became its chairman in 1952. JSSA supervised the Jewish Children's Home, one of the predecessor organizations of the Home of the Innocents. While many of Cole's earliest activities focused on the Jewish community, he was also very sensitive to the needs of the general community, and from 1950-53, he served on the Mayor's Commission on Human Rights. From 1956-58, he also served as chairman of the Health and Welfare Council (today Metro United Way). Cole also joined the board of the Conference of Jewish Organizations (the predecessor to the Jewish Community Federation), and became its president in 1955. The Federation is the central organization of the Louisville Jewish community, charged with fund-raising, community planning, leadership development and community relations responsibilities. Once again, his natural leadership abilities gained national attention, and he soon became a member of the national boards of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds (today, United Jewish Communities). He also served on the national board of HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. In the mid 60s, he was recruited for the board of the National Health and Welfare Retirement Association, which created a pension plan for communal service employees nationwide. In 1971, he became chair or that organization as well. Today, the pension organization they created, Mutual of America, is among the top 50 insurance companies in America. Cole's concern for human rights and social justice led him to join the Jewish Community Federation's Community Relations Council. Once again, he worked his way up through the ranks and was invited to join the board of CRC's parent organization, NJCRAC (National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council - today the Jewish Council on Public Affairs), and in 1973, he served as its president. For many years, he participated in the organization's annual fact-finding trips to Israel. In Louisville, that passion also led him to chair the National Conference of Christians and Jews from 1963-65, and Metro United Way, from 1977-79. Cole was quick to recognize that human rights and social justice also include health care. He joined Jewish Hospital's board 1963, where he served for 40 years, including a term as president from 1969-72. He also served as chairman of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (today Frazier Rehab Center) from 1973-75; and as a trustee of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kentucky from 1975-82. On the state level, he became involved with the Kentucky Youth Research Center, which was created to enable the state to accept certain restricted federal grants and ensure that limitations on the use of the money were adhered to. During Cole's tenure, the agency was responsible for projects like the establishment of Head Start programs throughout Appalachia. As much as Cole enjoyed the leadership roles he took throughout his life, he also recognize that there came a time to pass the responsibilities on to the next generation. But as he scaled back his activities with some organizations, he became involved with others. When Sister Eileen Egan recruited him to serve as a trustee of Spalding College, he accepted, and in served as chair of that board from 1978-82. He chaired the Kentucky Commission of the Deaf and Hearing Impaired from 1983-84, and joined the board of the Visually Impaired Pre-School Services in 1985. He also served leadership roles with the Aging Resource Center and the Fairness Campaign. He was one of the first life members of the Louisville Section of National Council of Jewish Women and joined Hadassah's Male Auxiliary. He was also an early member of the American Civil Liberties Union and described himself as a "Yellow Dog Democrat." He was a life-long member of The Temple and more recently, a member of Temple Shalom as well. In 2000, the Jewish Community Federation honored Cole by establishing the Lewis D. Cole Youth Initiative, which funds the Federation's B'nai Tzedek program. The B'nai Tzedek program teaches young teens the importance of philanthropy by enabling them to establish and manage small endowment funds in their own names. Throughout his lifetime, he received many other honors as well, including the Jewish Community Center's Blanche B. Ottenheimer Award for Community Service, the National Conference of Christians and Jews Brotherhood Award, National Council of Jewish Women's Hannah Solomon Award, Metro United Way's Allen Society Leadership Award, the American Jewish Committee's Man of the Year Award and the Aging Resource Center's Citizen's Service Award. He was also honored by the Cathedral Heritage Foundation at their Night of 1000 Stars in 2004 and with a tribute dinner at The Temple in 2006. For the last 18 years of Cole's life, Donnie Hampton was his devoted caregiver, and for the last seven, he was assisted by Alexander "Fagan" Evans. Cole is survived by his son, L. David Cole; his daughter, Judy Wilder; five grandchildren; and five great- grandchildren. Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Tuesday at The Temple, 5101 U.S. Highway 42, with visitation beginning at 2 p.m. Burial will be in The Temple Cemetery, followed by a meal of consolation at The Klein Center at The Temple. Herman Meyer & Son is handling arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Jewish Community Federation, 3630 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville, KY 40205 or The Temple, 5101 US Highway 42, Louisville, KY 40241