Wendell Francis Cotton, age 89, died peacefully October 28, 2014 at the Dorothy Love Retirement Community in Sidney, Ohio. Wendell built a successful business that sustained his family and their education. He was an adventurer and traveler, including flying acrobatic airplanes and crossing oceans on freighters. Wendell served in the Navy in World War II and in the Marines for the Korean War. He was an active member of the Veterans for Peace. Wendell helped organize the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) worship group in Sidney with his wife Marie. Wendell was preceded in death by parents Lena (nee Getting) and Hiram Cotton, Sturgis, Michigan and siblings, Ellsworth, Raymond and Millicent. Wendell died on the same day as Marie, his spouse of 64 years, in Sidney. Survivors are brothers, Maurice of South Holland, Illinois; Knute of Pueblo, Colorado, Dean of Corpus Christi, Texas and sister, Arliene Oey of Malone, New York. Children: Corrine (Joe) Precourt of Sandspit, British Columbia, Brad (Toye) Cotton of Circleville, Ohio, Ryan (Karen) Cotton of Holland, Michigan and Tyler (Laura) Cotton of Elyria, Ohio as well as 14 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. There will be no visitation. Wendell donated his body to the Ohio State University College of Medicine. A Celebration of Life Memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 11:30 AM at the Amos Chapel, Dorothy Love Retirement Community, 3003 West Cisco Rd., Sidney, Ohio 45365. Memorial gifts may be given to the American Friends Service Committee in Wendell Cotton’s name: AFSC Development, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102. Phone: 1-888-588-2372 or at afsc.com. Wendell’s devotion to Marie and inspirational stories will be deeply missed. Salm-McGill and Tangeman Funeral Home in Sidney, Ohio is handling the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the Cotton family on Salm-McGill and Tangeman Funeral Home’s web site at: www.salm-mcgillandtangemanfh.com
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