1934
John
2015
John Patrick Cotter
April 3, 1934 — August 4, 2015
Family and Friends will gather Saturday, October 24 at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Pensacola to honor the life of John Patrick Cotter. The 81-year-old former resident of Gulf Breeze, Florida passed away peacefully with his daughter and son-in-law at his side in Austell, Georgia. John was preceded in death by his son, Wirt Patrick Cotter, his wife Nan Smith Cotter and his parents Mr. & Mrs. John Joseph Cotter of Chappaqua, New York.
John was born in Mt. Kisco, New York on April 3, 1934. He grew up outside New York City, living with his family in Westchester County. At 14, he went to boarding school at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts. An accomplished athlete, John continued his education at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. While in college, John joined the ROTC. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, John entered the United States Air Force. His initial training took him to California, before his first permanent assignment at the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. John was also stationed in Topeka, KS, Grand Forks, ND and Bossier City, LA.
In Louisiana, John met and married Nancy Katherine (Kay) Parker. The couple had 4 children. John, a navigator for the KC-135, served multiple missions in Vietnam and was awarded many honors including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Force Commendation Medal and Republic of Vietnam Medal. He retired as a Major from Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana in 1976. After retirement, John worked in the Savings & Loan Business before moving to Pensacola, Florida in 1983.
John and his second wife Nan settled in Gulf Breeze. They lived on Poinciana Drive for nearly 30 years. He built his own real estate appraisal business from the ground up. John did appraisals weekly in Pensacola until suffering a heart attack in September of 2012. Nan, an accomplished artist in the community, lost her battle with cancer in late 2006. The Cotters made many close friends in Gulf Breeze. They loved the arts, music, family and especially enjoyed their monthly gatherings with the “Party Animals.”
John moved to Marietta, Georgia in early 2013 to live with his daughter and her family. He is survived by his sons, John Christopher Cotter, his wife Sara of Austin, Texas, Dr. Mark Mitchell Cotter, his wife Stephanie of Monroe, Louisiana and his daughter Nancy Cotter Bostrom, her husband Eric Bostrom of Raleigh, North Carolina. John loved his grandchildren tremendously, Sean Cotter, of San Marcos, Texas, Andrew Cotter of Austin, Texas, Holland Bostrom of Raleigh, North Carolina, Sinclair Cotter of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Katherine Bostrom of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Father Doug Halsema of Saint Paul’s Catholic Church of Pensacola will conduct a Memorial Mass at 10:00 a.m. October 24, 2015. Interment will follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile, Alabama.
The Cotter family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Brookdale of Marietta, as well as the dedicated medical staff of WellStar Healthcare in Marietta and Austell, Georgia, especially Dr. Raul Oyola and Dr. Thomas Emerson.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the Lakeview Center at Baptist Healthcare in Pensacola. Online Guestbook available at www.westcobbfuneralhome.com .
John was born in Mt. Kisco, New York on April 3, 1934. He grew up outside New York City, living with his family in Westchester County. At 14, he went to boarding school at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts. An accomplished athlete, John continued his education at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. While in college, John joined the ROTC. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, John entered the United States Air Force. His initial training took him to California, before his first permanent assignment at the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. John was also stationed in Topeka, KS, Grand Forks, ND and Bossier City, LA.
In Louisiana, John met and married Nancy Katherine (Kay) Parker. The couple had 4 children. John, a navigator for the KC-135, served multiple missions in Vietnam and was awarded many honors including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Force Commendation Medal and Republic of Vietnam Medal. He retired as a Major from Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana in 1976. After retirement, John worked in the Savings & Loan Business before moving to Pensacola, Florida in 1983.
John and his second wife Nan settled in Gulf Breeze. They lived on Poinciana Drive for nearly 30 years. He built his own real estate appraisal business from the ground up. John did appraisals weekly in Pensacola until suffering a heart attack in September of 2012. Nan, an accomplished artist in the community, lost her battle with cancer in late 2006. The Cotters made many close friends in Gulf Breeze. They loved the arts, music, family and especially enjoyed their monthly gatherings with the “Party Animals.”
John moved to Marietta, Georgia in early 2013 to live with his daughter and her family. He is survived by his sons, John Christopher Cotter, his wife Sara of Austin, Texas, Dr. Mark Mitchell Cotter, his wife Stephanie of Monroe, Louisiana and his daughter Nancy Cotter Bostrom, her husband Eric Bostrom of Raleigh, North Carolina. John loved his grandchildren tremendously, Sean Cotter, of San Marcos, Texas, Andrew Cotter of Austin, Texas, Holland Bostrom of Raleigh, North Carolina, Sinclair Cotter of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Katherine Bostrom of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Father Doug Halsema of Saint Paul’s Catholic Church of Pensacola will conduct a Memorial Mass at 10:00 a.m. October 24, 2015. Interment will follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile, Alabama.
The Cotter family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Brookdale of Marietta, as well as the dedicated medical staff of WellStar Healthcare in Marietta and Austell, Georgia, especially Dr. Raul Oyola and Dr. Thomas Emerson.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the Lakeview Center at Baptist Healthcare in Pensacola. Online Guestbook available at www.westcobbfuneralhome.com .
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Patrick Cotter, please visit our flower store.
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