COLE TENNIHILL
August 9, 2001-May 25, 2022

The West Volusia community lost one of its shining stars Cole Tennihill, a son, a friend, a partner, a fisherman, and a brother. Cole was my son’s fishing partner in 2018 and ½ of 2019. Cole and his mother became part of our family that year. Not as much by choice but by the rigorous Tournament schedule Cole and my son fished. The boys fished 17 tournaments with Chris Carver as their Captain that year. They started off by winning their very first tournament in Florida, the Bass Nation High School Series. From there, they went on to place in the top 10 in two of the four regions. They took Second Place with Stacy Murray as their Captain at the State Championship on Lake Okeechobee and finished out the year by qualifying for the Bass Nation High School National Championship on Kentucky Lake, in Paris Tennessee where they finished 49th out of almost 400 teams from around the world.

I’m going to miss my young friend. Cole was a quiet young man and spoke when you asked him a question. His mom Ms. Donna would pack Cole on most of our trips with a couple of dozen chocolate chip cookies which Cole would guard with vigor. In talking with Cole, I found out he was very compassionate and had a fair amount of drive in him for his age. His life’s goal was to be an engineer and he was in his third year of Engineering at Emory Riddle. I had not spoken to Cole in over a year, but I’m sure when he graduated there was a job waiting for him where his Dad works. Cole took his schooling seriously and was doing well. He also worked his small pressure cleaning business the same way. Cole never lost his love for fishing; when last I spoke to him he was Bass and Fly fishing and had gotten his own boat. I am proud of him for what he has accomplished. Between his family and friends, he will be greatly missed. —Larry Smith