The Akins Funeral Home of Copperhill announces the death of Billy Hyatt Cole, Sr., MSGT Ret. USAF, age 75, of Cleveland, TN who passed away Thursday, March 3, 2011 at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. Mr. Cole was a native of Ducktown, TN, son of the late Robert and Lettie Webb Cole. He was a Vietnam Veteran serving his country in the U.S. Air Force for twenty one years. He retired after sixteen years from the Tennessee Valley Authority where he worked as a supervisor in nuclear power security. He was a member of the Ducktown Masonic Lodge # 241 F&AM and was a Scottish Rite mason. He is survived by his loving wife Lillian "Kay" Cole of Cleveland, TN; sons, Billy H. (Debra) Cole, Jr. of Niceville, FL, Robert W. (Denise) Cole of Chattanooga, TN; daughter, Rhonda (Maj. Terry L.) Griffith of Ft. Rucker, AL; brother, Buddy Cole of Cleveland, TN; sister, Margaret Cole Houser of Knoxville, TN; four grandchildren, TSGT Billy H. Cole, III, SSGT Misty L. Southerland, LCpl Bradley S. Griffith, A1C Scott P. Cole; two great grandchildren, Maddox A. Cole and Lanaiya Southerland. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, March 9th at 8:00 p.m. from the Akins of Copperhill Chapel with Rev. Dean Yancey and Lonnie Oliver officiating. Music will be by Mary Lou Davis and Ava Smith. Pallbearers include Billy H. Cole, Jr., Billy H. Cole, III, Scott P. Cole, Terry L. Griffith, Bradley S. Griffith, Robert W. Cole and Misty Southerland. Masonic Services will be conducted by the Ducktown Masonic Lodge # 241 F&AM following the service. Interment will follow Thursday, March 10th at 2:00 P.M. from the Zion Hill cemetery with graveside honors conducted by the Warner Robins Air Force Base Honor Guard followed by Winter Taylor on bagpipes. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday evening from 5:00 P.M. until the funeral hour at 8:00 P.M. Condolences to the family may be sent to www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Copperhill in charge of the arrangements. .