Extended family

The wheelchair lift of the bus eased Burks to the sidewalk at the World War II Memorial in D.C. As soon as the wheelchair touched down, retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. David L. Cole leaned in to hug Burks.

In the mid-to-late 1960s, Cole was a young captain assigned to Burks at Fort Carson, Colo. But the Burks and Cole families became close. Daily, Cole calls Burks, “sometimes it’s just for two minutes just to see what’s going on, sometimes it’s longer.

As Cole hugged Burks in Washington, he said, “I love you” and Burks replied, “I love you more.” Then Cole pushed Burks’ wheelchair to the Oklahoma pillar and on toward the “Freedom Wall.” They were joined by one of Burks’ daughters, Lynn Sisney of Windsor, Colo., as well as Cole’s wife Connie and their daughters Staci and Tiffani. The Coles live in the Washington area.

“We’ve often joked that we believe our families share the same DNA,” Cole said. “We all became one family. He was a tremendous leader and is a tremendous family man.”

Connie Cole believes Burks’ influence made her husband a better person, which made him a better husband and father.

“It’s sort of like knocking over dominoes all lined up,” Connie said. “It just passes on in a very good way.”

David Cole joked with Burks at one point that he would push him in the water at the memorial.

Burks was asked if Cole would have done that 40 years ago.

With a big smile, Burks said, “If he had, he wouldn’t be a General.”