▁Cole ▁married ▁L eth a ▁B irk hol tz ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁had ▁two ▁children , ▁Jacob ▁and ▁Emma . ▁He ▁was ▁divor ced ▁and ▁married ▁Th el ma ▁Jean ▁Good rich ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁They ▁live ▁in ▁Houston . ▁ ▁Education ▁Cole ▁studied ▁philosophy ▁as ▁an ▁under grad uate ▁at ▁Y ale ▁University . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁under ▁the ▁ment or ship ▁of ▁phil os opher ▁of ▁religion ▁Mer old ▁West phal ▁and ▁political ▁phil os opher ▁William ▁Mc B ride . ▁He ▁earned ▁a ▁Masters ▁in ▁American ▁intellectual ▁history ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Donald ▁Meyer ▁at ▁Wes ley an ▁University ▁( 1 9 7 5 ) ▁and ▁a ▁Ph . D ▁in ▁history ▁under ▁the ▁ment or ship ▁of ▁Christopher ▁Las ch ▁at ▁the ▁ ▁University ▁of ▁Ro chester ▁( 1 9 8 0 ). ▁His ▁dis sert ation ▁exam ined ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁ag ing ▁in ▁middle - class ▁America ▁in ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁and ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁centuries . ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁Cole ▁became ▁a ▁professor ▁at ▁U T MB ▁Gal vest on , ▁where ▁he ▁assist ed ▁his ▁ment or , ▁Ron ald ▁Car son , ▁in ▁developing ▁the ▁nation ’ s ▁first ▁Ph . D . ▁Program ▁in ▁medical ▁human ities . ▁ ▁His ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁book , ▁The ▁J our ney ▁of ▁Life : ▁A ▁Cultural ▁History ▁of ▁A