Grantham, NH – In loving memory of Charles Lynn Cole May 6, 1951, to September 26th, 2026.
Charles Lynn Cole, known to family and friends as Lynn, passed away peacefully on September 26th, 2026, at the Jack Byrne Center at the age of 75 with his beloved wife Kristina and his dear brother Mark and his wife Linda nearby.
Lynn was born in Beaver Falls, PA to Priscilla and Robert J. Cole Sr. who affectionately referred to each other as Press and Coley. Lynn had a happy childhood in Camillus, NY with his brothers, sister, and neighborhood friends. He enjoyed all sports, especially basketball, and also enjoyed reading, skiing, building a minibike, and summer trips with the family to Lake Winnipesaukee. He graduated from West Genesee HS in Camillus, NY in 1969, he later attended Syracuse University.
Lynn began his career in sales and construction before finding a special calling in the design and manufacture of post and beam homes. He started working with Yankee Barn in Grantham and then in 1999 joined Timberpeg Post and Beam Homes in Claremont, NH where he eventually became a regional manager. He found particular satisfaction in designing homes and working directly with customers as they shared their hopes and dreams for a place of their own. Lynn brought a distinctive spirit to the people and places around him he was unfailingly polite yet those who knew him well also recognize the mischievous spark in his eye. Courtesy and playfulness lived side by side in him giving his presence a memorable balance of warmth and gentle sense of humor. It was often in these small flashes of personality that Lynn was most unmistakably himself expressed in his alter ego, Calvin of the Bill Watterson comics series.
His interests extended well beyond his work. Basketball was a part of his younger years, and he enjoyed not only acting in small local theatre plays but traveling. It remained a wonderful pleasure through his life to have visited Italy several times, and as well as outings and adventures with his family. Another enduring love was dancing, and he learned to dance after meeting Kristina while she was tapping her foot to the music at the Fireside Inn in Lebanon. He said to himself “that girl likes to dance” and they dance the night away beginning a love of dancing that lasted a lifetime.
It was their dear friend & first instructor, Jenny, who taught them the joy of learning to dance but it was as a founding member of the Upper Valley Dance Club in 1995 that gave their dancing a mission. They shared many happy years with dancers and other wonderful teachers that filled his life with dancing, learning new steps, music and friendships This became an important part of his community life.
In his final years, Lynn lived with the challenges of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases but continued to enjoy dancing weekly with the Parkinson’s dance program led by Diane and Richard Caruso.
Lynn is survived by his beloved wife, Kristina Cole; his brother Richard Mark Cole, his sister-in-law Linda, and their children Bethany and Matthew; also, his other brother Robert “Rob” Cole his sister-in-law Susan, and their children Colleen and her husband Luke also Eric and Andy; his sister Carol Carlson and brother-in-law Chris, and their children Elise and Scott. Lynn is also survived by his son Michael Cole, Michael’s wife Genelle, and their children Henry and Samuel; and his daughter Megan Zonnenville, Megan’s husband Adam, and their children Aurora and Abe. He will also be remembered by his extended family, nieces, nephews and many dear friends.
A celebration of Lynn’s life is planned for November 15th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Richard Black Center 48 Lebanon St. Hanover where friends and family are welcome to gather and share memories. Those so inclined may bring flowers to the Black Center or contribute to one of the following organizations, the UV Programs for Parkinson’s, the Lake Sunapee Region VNA & Hospice or the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire.
May Lynn’s memory rest like a familiar song in the hearts of those who knew him.
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