Elbert Lasseter "Cotton" Leatherwood was born on January 3, 1918, in Guadalupe, Victoria Co, Texas, and passed away at age 94 on November 7, 2012, in Victoria--two months shy of 95. He was the second of five children born to Isaac "Ike" and Antoinette "Nettie" (Lingo) Leatherwood.
Cotton grew up in Texas with the family moving to multiple locations during his childhood. He was only 22 when he lost his mother in 1939 after her fourteen-year bout with tuberculosis. He served for a while in the Civilian Corps before he joined the U.S. Army on June 21, 1939, at Ft. Russell, Texas. When on leave in mid-1941 he went to one of his army buddy's home in Antlers, OK, Delbert "Deb" Fullingim, and that is when he met the love of his life at the skating rink, Marie Fullingim, whom he married on November 16, 1941, at Antlers—just 21 days before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor! Cotton was eventually deployed to the European theater with the Headquarters Troop 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized)--aka "Blackhorse," where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge (i.e., the Rhineland campaign, 15 Sep 1944-21 Mar 1945) and also in the Central Europe campaign, which was the final thrust of the war, 22 Mar–11 May 1945. Cotton was honorably discharged on 26 October 1945 at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, having earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was awarded the American Defense Service Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle East (EAME) Service Ribbon with two Bronze Service Stars.
Cotton had a great sense of humor and loved children and pets. Although Cotton and Marie never had any children of their own, they loved their nieces and nephews unconditionally, and so many other needy children who happened to cross their paths. They were truly surrogate parents and grandparents for many.
Though he finished only 7th grade, Cotton was self-taught and an avid learner throughout his life. He was an amateur inventor, whittler of wood items, and hunter and fisherman, and he was the owner of C&M Industrial Sewing Machines in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over 10 years and a service mechanic for these industrial sewing machines. Elbert was also a Mason. In 1972 he became a dedicated follower of Christ, and he was a vital member of May Avenue Wesleyan (Methodist) church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over thirty years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of almost 56 years, and all of his siblings—Mary Alice, Arthur Neil, Lela Kathryn, and Calvin. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Betty Jean Leatherwood; several nephews and nieces, Harold Cole, Charlie Cole, Carol (Leatherwood) Anderson, Darla (Leatherwood) Thomas, David Leatherwood, Alice Marie (Wright) Payn, Tom Wright, Dean Fullingim and Michael Fullingim; grand nieces and grand nephews, and a host of friends.
Graveside services were held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, November 10th at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in honor of E. L. "Cotton" Leatherwood.
Cotton grew up in Texas with the family moving to multiple locations during his childhood. He was only 22 when he lost his mother in 1939 after her fourteen-year bout with tuberculosis. He served for a while in the Civilian Corps before he joined the U.S. Army on June 21, 1939, at Ft. Russell, Texas. When on leave in mid-1941 he went to one of his army buddy's home in Antlers, OK, Delbert "Deb" Fullingim, and that is when he met the love of his life at the skating rink, Marie Fullingim, whom he married on November 16, 1941, at Antlers—just 21 days before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor! Cotton was eventually deployed to the European theater with the Headquarters Troop 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized)--aka "Blackhorse," where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge (i.e., the Rhineland campaign, 15 Sep 1944-21 Mar 1945) and also in the Central Europe campaign, which was the final thrust of the war, 22 Mar–11 May 1945. Cotton was honorably discharged on 26 October 1945 at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, having earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was awarded the American Defense Service Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle East (EAME) Service Ribbon with two Bronze Service Stars.
Cotton had a great sense of humor and loved children and pets. Although Cotton and Marie never had any children of their own, they loved their nieces and nephews unconditionally, and so many other needy children who happened to cross their paths. They were truly surrogate parents and grandparents for many.
Though he finished only 7th grade, Cotton was self-taught and an avid learner throughout his life. He was an amateur inventor, whittler of wood items, and hunter and fisherman, and he was the owner of C&M Industrial Sewing Machines in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over 10 years and a service mechanic for these industrial sewing machines. Elbert was also a Mason. In 1972 he became a dedicated follower of Christ, and he was a vital member of May Avenue Wesleyan (Methodist) church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over thirty years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of almost 56 years, and all of his siblings—Mary Alice, Arthur Neil, Lela Kathryn, and Calvin. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Betty Jean Leatherwood; several nephews and nieces, Harold Cole, Charlie Cole, Carol (Leatherwood) Anderson, Darla (Leatherwood) Thomas, David Leatherwood, Alice Marie (Wright) Payn, Tom Wright, Dean Fullingim and Michael Fullingim; grand nieces and grand nephews, and a host of friends.
Graveside services were held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, November 10th at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in honor of E. L. "Cotton" Leatherwood.
Elbert Lasseter "Cotton" Leatherwood was born on January 3, 1918, in Guadalupe, Victoria Co, Texas, and passed away at age 94 on November 7, 2012, in Victoria--two months shy of 95. He was the second of five children born to Isaac "Ike" and Antoinette "Nettie" (Lingo) Leatherwood.
Cotton grew up in Texas with the family moving to multiple locations during his childhood. He was only 22 when he lost his mother in 1939 after her fourteen-year bout with tuberculosis. He served for a while in the Civilian Corps before he joined the U.S. Army on June 21, 1939, at Ft. Russell, Texas. When on leave in mid-1941 he went to one of his army buddy's home in Antlers, OK, Delbert "Deb" Fullingim, and that is when he met the love of his life at the skating rink, Marie Fullingim, whom he married on November 16, 1941, at Antlers—just 21 days before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor! Cotton was eventually deployed to the European theater with the Headquarters Troop 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized)--aka "Blackhorse," where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge (i.e., the Rhineland campaign, 15 Sep 1944-21 Mar 1945) and also in the Central Europe campaign, which was the final thrust of the war, 22 Mar–11 May 1945. Cotton was honorably discharged on 26 October 1945 at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, having earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was awarded the American Defense Service Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle East (EAME) Service Ribbon with two Bronze Service Stars.
Cotton had a great sense of humor and loved children and pets. Although Cotton and Marie never had any children of their own, they loved their nieces and nephews unconditionally, and so many other needy children who happened to cross their paths. They were truly surrogate parents and grandparents for many.
Though he finished only 7th grade, Cotton was self-taught and an avid learner throughout his life. He was an amateur inventor, whittler of wood items, and hunter and fisherman, and he was the owner of C&M Industrial Sewing Machines in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over 10 years and a service mechanic for these industrial sewing machines. Elbert was also a Mason. In 1972 he became a dedicated follower of Christ, and he was a vital member of May Avenue Wesleyan (Methodist) church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over thirty years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of almost 56 years, and all of his siblings—Mary Alice, Arthur Neil, Lela Kathryn, and Calvin. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Betty Jean Leatherwood; several nephews and nieces, Harold Cole, Charlie Cole, Carol (Leatherwood) Anderson, Darla (Leatherwood) Thomas, David Leatherwood, Alice Marie (Wright) Payn, Tom Wright, Dean Fullingim and Michael Fullingim; grand nieces and grand nephews, and a host of friends.
Graveside services were held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, November 10th at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in honor of E. L. "Cotton" Leatherwood.
Cotton grew up in Texas with the family moving to multiple locations during his childhood. He was only 22 when he lost his mother in 1939 after her fourteen-year bout with tuberculosis. He served for a while in the Civilian Corps before he joined the U.S. Army on June 21, 1939, at Ft. Russell, Texas. When on leave in mid-1941 he went to one of his army buddy's home in Antlers, OK, Delbert "Deb" Fullingim, and that is when he met the love of his life at the skating rink, Marie Fullingim, whom he married on November 16, 1941, at Antlers—just 21 days before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor! Cotton was eventually deployed to the European theater with the Headquarters Troop 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized)--aka "Blackhorse," where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge (i.e., the Rhineland campaign, 15 Sep 1944-21 Mar 1945) and also in the Central Europe campaign, which was the final thrust of the war, 22 Mar–11 May 1945. Cotton was honorably discharged on 26 October 1945 at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, having earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was awarded the American Defense Service Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle East (EAME) Service Ribbon with two Bronze Service Stars.
Cotton had a great sense of humor and loved children and pets. Although Cotton and Marie never had any children of their own, they loved their nieces and nephews unconditionally, and so many other needy children who happened to cross their paths. They were truly surrogate parents and grandparents for many.
Though he finished only 7th grade, Cotton was self-taught and an avid learner throughout his life. He was an amateur inventor, whittler of wood items, and hunter and fisherman, and he was the owner of C&M Industrial Sewing Machines in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over 10 years and a service mechanic for these industrial sewing machines. Elbert was also a Mason. In 1972 he became a dedicated follower of Christ, and he was a vital member of May Avenue Wesleyan (Methodist) church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for over thirty years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of almost 56 years, and all of his siblings—Mary Alice, Arthur Neil, Lela Kathryn, and Calvin. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Betty Jean Leatherwood; several nephews and nieces, Harold Cole, Charlie Cole, Carol (Leatherwood) Anderson, Darla (Leatherwood) Thomas, David Leatherwood, Alice Marie (Wright) Payn, Tom Wright, Dean Fullingim and Michael Fullingim; grand nieces and grand nephews, and a host of friends.
Graveside services were held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, November 10th at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in honor of E. L. "Cotton" Leatherwood.
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