Surrounded by family, Mary Lou Cole, 82, died peacefully at Medical City Plano in Plano, Texas on March 29, 2023 from complications of pneumonia. Mary Lou was born on May 6, 1940, in Ferrisburgh, Vermont to Wren (Russett) and Timothy Rivers. She graduated from Vergennes High School as Salutatorian of her class and went to Champlain College. Mary Lou worked at General Electric and Aluminum Cap Seal. She graduated from Johnson State University with a master's degree in business administration and went on the run the Thomas Chittenden Heath Care Center. She eventually followed her sister, Patty, to Tucson, Arizona, and managed doctors at Carondelet Health Care. She later worked for her son, Kevin, at Outdoor Gear. If you needed something done and someone to organize it, Mary Lou was your go-to. She was very active in everything De and Kev did growing up and led many scout troops, PTA's, and groups over the years. She attended every game, race, meet, or activity they were in. Mary Lou was an avid birdwatcher and had over 3,000 birds on her world life list and 800+ on her United States list. She was constantly studying birds and teaching us all. Feeding and caring for all the critters she came across was so important to her. She saved many, many cats over the years. Mary Lou enjoyed travel and had visited all 50 states and countless countries often on a birding trip. During retirement she spent most of her time volunteering. Mary Lou had a passion for the desert, nature, and gardening. She combined all of that into volunteering twice a week as a Docent for the Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona where she earned her 10,000-hour "Pack Rat" volunteer statue. She was very proud of that accomplishment. Mary Lou is survived by her daughter Deanna (Matthew) Flanagan of Plano, Texas; son Kevin Cole of Rincon, Puerto Rico; grandsons Michael (Channing Boone) Flanagan of Dallas, Texas; Riley (Caitlyn) Cole of Milwaukie, Oregon, Dylan Cole of Westminster, Colorado; Josh Cole of Leesburg, Virginia; and the only granddaughter Grace Mary Flanagan of Plano, Texas. She was preceded in death by her sister Patty Rivers in 2014. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mary Lou's name are welcome at any of her favorites: The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Foundation, Tucson Audubon Society, World Wildlife Foundation, or the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. There will be celebration of life celebration for Mary Lou and her sister Patty Rivers on July 6th, 2023 in Vergennes, Vermont. Contact Deanna at clanflan@verizon.net, Kevin at kcoletofc@gmail.com, or Beth at yofy@me.com for the details. Please leave the family condolences and share memories on this website.

Arrangements under the direction of:

Aria Cremation Service and funeral Home

19310 Preston Road

Dallas, Texas 75252

214-306-6700