Legislative Reference Library

Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Criss Cole

Criss Cole
Full Name: Criss Cole
Birth date: May 11, 1918
Death date: June 21, 1985

Terms of Service

  • Senate, 61st & 60th (2) Legislatures
    1/10/1967 - 1/12/1971
    Democrat
    Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim 2nd C.S., elected 9/9/1969.
  • Senate, 59th & 58th (1) Legislatures
    1/8/1963 - 1/10/1967
    Democrat
  • House, 57th Legislature
    1/10/1961 - 1/8/1963
    Democrat
  • House, 56th Legislature
    1/13/1959 - 1/10/1961
    Democrat
  • House, 55th Legislature
    1/8/1957 - 1/13/1959
    Democrat
  • House, 54th Legislature
    1/11/1955 - 1/8/1957
    Democrat
(1) 58th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/9/1963, p. 16. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(2) 60th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/1967, p. 19. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

  • 59th Legislature, R.S., SR 713, inviting Roy Porter and officials of Disabled American Veterans to attend Senate session honoring Senator Criss Cole as outstanding disabled veteran for the State of Texas for 1965, presentation, Mr. Porter's address printed in Senate Journal, pp. 1491, 1565-1567. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary . Address SR 713
  • 60th Legislature, R.S., SR 633. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
  • 56th Legislature, R.S., HSR 611. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
  • 57th Legislature, 1st C.S., HSR 169, officially designating August 7, 1961, as Criss Cole Day. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
  • 57th Legislature, 1st C.S., HSR 86, cited by the Association for Physical and Mental Rehabilitation in Indianapolis. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
  • 57th Legislature, R.S., HSR 661. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
  • 58th Legislature, R.S., SR 515. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
  • United States Marine Corps, World War II. 59th Legislature, R.S., SR 713, relating to session honoring Senator Criss Cole as outstanding disabled veteran for the State of Texas for 1965, "in tribute to his (Cole's) exceptional ability, his tenacity in overcoming the great handicap of blindness, which resulted from his heroic service as a member of the U.S. Marines, when he was wounded by a Japanese hand grenade during a mission on Tarawa . . . This veteran of service in Iceland, New Zealand, Guadalcanal and Tarawa, during World War II, is beloved by his fellow members of the Texas Legislature . . . ," Senate Journal, p. 1491; presentation and address by Roy Porter of Disabled American Veterans describes Cole's military service and mentions Purple Heart, Senate Journal, pp. 1565-1567. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary . Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary

Photographs

Other Resources

  • United States Marine Corps, Corporal, World War II. Military grave marker, Criss Cole, birth date 5/11/1918, death date 6/21/1985, burial in Houston National Cemetery. Find a Grave .
  • COLE, CRISS (1918-1985). Handbook of Texas Online .
  • United States Marine Corps, Corporal, World War II. "He worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps near Golden, Colorado, before joining the United States Marines in 1940. He served in Iceland, New Zealand, and Guadalcanal. As a corporal, he was blinded in 1943 during a beach attack at Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands by a Japanese grenade, an injury for which he was later awarded a Purple Heart." Handbook of Texas Online .
  • Article, "King Miller would be second legally blind lawmaker in 30 years if elected," 10/28/2004. Midland Reporter-Telegram .
  • Memorial, April 1986, p. 416. Texas Bar Journal .
  • United States Marine Corps. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country 2017.

Committee Information

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