Rod Cole was born April 28, 1962, and spent his formative years in Calgary. He developed a great love of the mountains, spending many winter months skiing in Banff. Rod’s first job was bussing tables at Phil’s Pancake House, where he learned to deal with customers -- a place he loved going back to, which is still there today. He also worked at Beaver Lumber and put in long hours each summer as a “roughneck” out in the oil field – a job that paid for his car and the next year’s tuition. Rod graduated with a BA in Economics from UBC in 1984. At university, he discovered his life-long love of competitive rowing.
After graduating, Rod landed a job with the Royal Bank, where he remained for his entire career – almost 35 years. He was originally hired in Calgary, and moved with the management trainee program to Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Lethbridge, out east to St. John NB and finally to the Toronto head office in 2005, where he specialized in change management.
Rod first spotted Shane in St. John across a crowded bar on St. Patrick’s Day. They later moved in to a house with a big back yard for Theodore and Arthur, Rod’s beloved Basset Hounds. Shane joined Rod to Toronto in 2005.
Once he was settled in Toronto, Rod decided to get back to competitive rowing, but first worked with a personal trainer to lose 70 lbs., a testament to his discipline. Rod spent many early mornings at the Argonaut Rowing Club with Coach Larry and Coxie Natalie. Winning a spot to compete at the “Head of the Charles” race in Boston was the highlight of his second rowing career.
Rod faced his most difficult challenge in 2012, when he survived a severe bout of cancer. He took the aggressive treatments in stride and persevered, beating the odds to make a full recovery. He lived even more intensely after that – working, rowing, socializing, and pursuing his love of travel.
Rod passed away suddenly in the early morning of October 26, 2017 with his partner Shane by his side. He is predeceased by his father Leslie Charles Cole in 2006, and is survived by Shane, as well as by his mother Bernice, brother Todd (Susan), nieces Paige and Danielle and his best friend John. Rod will be missed.