Bernard H. “Bud” Cole, of Northampton, died July 21, 2017, at St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network, Bethlehem, after a long illness. He was the husband of Beverly L. (Cole) Cole for 24 years. Born in Allentown, he was the son of the late Bernard G. Cole and Alvona (Sterner) Cole.

He graduated from Whitehall HS in 1962 and East Stroudsburg University in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education with a specialty in health and physical education. He was certified in driver education and outdoor education.

He was a member of Sigma Pi, ESSC and served as Beta Psi Alumni President for many years.

He was a dedicated and creative educator who taught fourth, fifth and sixth grades in Northampton Area School District from 1966 to 1999, awakening a love of science and the outdoors in many of his students.

In 1981 he received the Northampton County Conservation District Outdoor Educator of the Year award. He served as the Northampton Borough Schools PTA president and worked on many education committees and projects. He showed his love of nature, his concern for the environment, and his enthusiasm for bettering his community through countless hours of volunteer service.

He was affiliated with the National Ski Patrol for 47 years. He volunteered at the Walnutport Canal Lock House Museum, Lehigh Gap Nature Center, State Theatre in Easton, and the Wildlands Conservancy.

He was co-founder and vice president of the Bertsch-Hokendauqua-Catasauqua Watershed Association.

Although he said that English was never his favorite topic to teach, after retiring from teaching he discovered a passion and flair for writing and photography, particularly about the wonders of nature and the outdoors life. Through his writing, he combined his intense curiosity about nature, his love of animals, his deep enjoyment of meeting and talking with new people, and his delightful sense of humor.

He was an active member and board member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association and active member of the Outdoors Writers of America Association. He received a certificate in 2010 from the POWA board of directors for outstanding service to the organization. He won awards for his writing and photography with awards form POWA as well as 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 Professional Keystone Newspaper Awards for his outdoor column, Bud’s View, and in 2017, a first-place award for his sports/outdoor column. The column has been published in the eight Lehigh Valley Press weekly newspapers. His freelance work has been published in Pennsylvania Magazine, Pennsylvania Game News, Pennsylvania Angler and Boater, Baltimore Recreational News, National Bear Foundation, and Ohio Valley Outdoors. He has written two children’s novels, “The Mystery of Little Bear” and the soon-to-be published “Bear and Buddy’s Remarkable Adventures.” One of his proudest moments was learning that he had been named the recipient of the 2016 Helen G. Brown Award from ESU for his accomplishments as an educator, a journalist, and enthusiast of nature and the outdoors.

Bud and his wife shared the love of travel, gardening, skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, hiking, and many other outdoor activities. They were adjunct professors at Northampton Community College instructing both children and adults. They created and were co-directors of the Three B’s Mobile Nature Center. They traveled throughout the United States and abroad on his writing trips and for their own learning and enrichment. Their interests in the outdoors inspired them to lead trips skiing in Europe, New England, Western U.S. and explorations in Ecuador’s Cloud Forest and the Galapagos Islands.

Contributions may be made to the Wildlands Conservancy and Lehigh Gap Nature Center c/o the funeral home.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 4 p.m. July 31 at the Blue Mountain Resort-Summit Lodge, 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton, 18071. Arrangements were made by the Schisler Funeral Home, Northampton. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.schislerfuneralhomes.com.