Statler Family Obituaries
Cotner, James Thomas "J.T."
CHAFFEE, Mo. -- James Thomas "J.T." Cotner, 91, of Chaffee passed away Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Chaffee Nursing Center.
He was born April 15, 1921, to Guy H. and Carrie Sides Cotner in Pocahontas. The family moved to Cape Girardeau when he was 10 years old and then to Chaffee in 1948.
J.T. married Arlene Mae Jones on Feb. 20, 1942, at Maple Avenue Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. She preceded him in death April 13, 2009.
He was a 1938 graduate of Central High School in Cape Girardeau. He was an avid sports fan, playing in high school and also on several area baseball teams. In 1994 he was inducted into the SEMO Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in Sikeston, Mo. He also coached Little League and Babe Ruth teams in Chaffee.
J.T. retired in 1989 having worked 49 years as a mechanic at Ely Walker in Illmo and Murphysboro, Ill., Bukstein Manufacturing Co., Harts Schaffner and Marx, and Thorngate Ltd. in Chaffee.
He was a member of Chaffee American Legion Post 0389, and was an active member of Chaffee UMC where he served on the nominating committee.
J.T. served in the Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946.
Survivors include two sons, Lynn (Jan) Cotner of Jackson, Larry Cotner of Miami; two granddaughters, Alysha (Greg) Sauer of Festus, Mo., Andrea Cotner of Jackson; seven great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and two stepsisters.
Friends may call after 4 p.m. Monday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church in Chaffee. The Rev. Richard Combs will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Gwenell Streeter. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church in Chaffee.
Printed in the Sunday, November 4, 2012 edition of the Southeast Missourian, Cape Girardeau, MO.
©2012 by David Statler of StatlerWeb