Heather Lynne Cole, 54

Heather Lynne Cole, 54, passed away on November 12, 2024 after having complications amplified by her 23-year battle with Leukemia. Her two daughters and her sister were with her when she passed away peacefully at Renown Regional Hospital in Reno, Nevada. She is survived by her two daughters Rachel and Laura and her four sisters Heidi, Hayley, Hilda, and Hillary.

Heather was born October 8, 1970, in Renton, Washington to Bruce Cole and Jerri (Grinols) Cole. Known to family as “Pooh Bear” or “Pooh,” she grew up in Renton and the Key Peninsula as the eldest of five sisters. Heather was very independent, enjoyed dressing up for trips to the roller-skating rink, and spent much of her time with cousins and friends.

After graduating from Peninsula High School in 1988, Heather attended Tacoma Community College and began her real estate journey by working at several title companies. She quickly advanced in her career while working at Citibank, rising from Receptionist to Loan Processor within a few years. Heather then continued to work in the mortgage industry, transitioning to the role of Loan Officer at various mortgage companies and credit unions. She was particularly skilled at leveraging her network and at finding unique programs to benefit her clients. Heather also enjoyed running her own businesses. When her children were young, she ran “Classic Kids” in Bothel, which specialized in children’s formal wear and birthday tea parties. She loved dressing up her two daughters in the fancy dresses from her store. Later in life, Heather combined her real estate experience with her passion for business ownership, and she developed a commercial construction management business.

Heather’s guidance left a notable impact on several family members. In her young adulthood, she looked after her high school-aged sister and mentored her niece in the real estate industry. When her girls were young, she valued giving them memorable experiences. She loved throwing them extravagant birthday parties and went all out on creating Easter baskets and putting up Christmas decorations. She also wanted her girls to be well-rounded, so she enrolled them in many different extracurricular activities, including horseback riding, swimming, gymnastics, dance, and drawing lessons.

Heather wore black and white 99% of the time (sometimes pink was allowed) and loved ABBA, the movie Grease, and the History Channel. Her deep appreciation for architecture and interior design inspired her to elaborately decorate her own homes. She had a particular fondness for Victorian-style design. She liked relaxing vacations and had visited France, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Heather’s charismatic personality made it easy for people to open up to her within minutes of meeting her. She was confident and strong-willed. Life threw a lot at her, but she didn’t give up.

There will be a service on Saturday, December 21st at 2:00 PM at Haven of Rest Funeral Home in Gig Harbor, WA. Family and friends are welcome to attend and remember Heather’s life.