Dates
Jerry Don Cotter, 90, passed away peacefully on Friday evening August 6, 2021 surrounded by his loving family in San Angelo, TX. He was a member of Johnson Street Church of Christ and spent many years attending Men’s Bible Study classes.
Jerry married Wanda Cotter on February 3, 2007. Wanda was Jerry’s high school sweetheart, but they ended up going their separate ways after high school. They met up again 57 years later and were happily married and lived at Rio Concho West for 14 years.
Jerry was born to William Rueben and Mattie Jane (Bingham) Cotter on May 7, 1931 in Big Spring, TX. He was the youngest of 14 total siblings and the last one to pass away. He was born & raised into a farming family and spent endless hours working in the cotton fields.
He graduated from Littlefield High School where he played tackle for the Littlefield Wildcats 6-man football team. During his senior year, they were the 1949 1A State Champions. He then attended Texas A&M University on a football scholarship, but due to an arm injury he ended up coming home and working on the family farm.
He is a veteran of the United States Army and was an Artilleryman in the Korean War from 1951 to 1953. He helped to repair, load, and fire the cannons behind the lines. His family had a strong military presence especially during WW II. He had 5 brothers in the Army or Navy from 1942 to 1948.
Jerry could fix or repair almost anything. He was an Electrical Engineer by trade and retired from GTE in 1990 with 33 years of service - and then he really went to work! He managed several of his siblings’ estates, which took many years to complete. He built and sold the Cauley Lane RV Storage and then he built the Cotter RV Storage right next door. He has a huge workshop in one of his storage units and spent many hours enjoying his antique tractor and car restoration hobby. He would drag in some old-timey broken-down tractor from one of the family farms and restore it to its original pristine condition. He really did not want to sell any of his tractors. He just wanted to keep all of them running and in good condition.
Jerry was the President of the Concho Riders Riding Club back in the 70s. He won many ribbons and even a few trophies. His 3 children grew up participating in playdays and rodeos. He spent endless hours hauling them to hundreds of horse and bull riding events.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Wanda Cotter of San Angelo, TX, Jerry’s 3 children, son and daughter-in law, Charles and Kay Cotter of Eola, TX, daughter, Lisa Cotter of Boyd, TX, daughter and son-in-law, Lori and Roger Tudor of Mansfield, TX, grandchildren, Jennifer Armor, Casey Armor, Kera Rezac, Jade Newby, Koby Rezac, great-grandchildren Chris Dunn, Sam Chapoy, Adalynn Newby, Cason Thompson, Emma Thompson, Branson Thompson. Wanda’s 3 children, Steve and Debbie Owen of Midland, TX, Tim and Amy Owen of Chesney, SC, Amy and Ted Basye of Sweetwater, TX, grandchildren, Ryan and Ashley Owen, Michael and Danville Owen, Kate and John Green, Connor Owen, Tyson Basye, Jordan Basye, Jon Basye and Berklee, great-granchildren, Emrey, Everett, Addi, Jase, Harper, Lewis, and Owen.
Pallbearers: Casey Armor, Koby Rezac, Chris Dunn, Sam Chapoy, Elmer Stone, and Mark Bell.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, from 5:00-7:00pm at Harper Funeral Home, 2606 Southland Blvd, San Angelo, TX 76904. Graveside service will be on Thursday, August 12, 2021, at 10:00am at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens, 4989 FM Hwy 1223, San Angelo, TX 76905 with Pastor Tommy King officiating.
Visitation
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Harper Funeral Home
2606 Southland Boulevard
San Angelo, TX 76904
Graveside
Thursday, August 12, 2021
10:00AM
Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens
4989 FM Highway 1223
San Angelo, TX 76905