Raymond Edwin Cotton was a United States Navy Veteran. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1946 to 1951. While in service to his country, he achieved the rating of E-3 Seaman working as a Diesel Mechanic He earned many medals and commendations to include the Silver Star Medal, (2) Individual Citations, Purple Heart, Korean Service-Japanese Occupation and the Presidential Unit Citation. Seaman Cotton was honorably discharged on July 24, 1951.
Raymond E. Cotton, 94, died on June 26, 2022 in Tucson. He was born in Bellevue, New Mexico on March 29, 1928. His parents were Wilford and Myrtle Cotton. He had one brother, Hulan Cotton. He attended school through 8th grade in Taiban and St. Verain, New Mexico. The family moved to Morenci, Arizona in 1940 where his father worked for Phelps Dodge. He graduated high school in 1945 and joined the U.S. Navy in the student reserve program entering active duty near the end of World War II and served aboard landing crafts in Okinawa, Japan and the Philippines. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Morenci to work for Phelps Dodge as a repairman on the rock crusher. He also worked as a welder in Fairbanks, Alaska and in Burbank, California. In 1950, he asked to be placed on active duty with the U.S. Navy Reserve for one year plus one day. He served in Japan and Korea with Navy Beach Group #1 (NBG) unit consisting of UDT Boat Unit Beachmasters and Sea Bees. He was discharged in 1951. He was married to Virginia Willis and had one son, Ronald Cotton. In 1977 he married Esther Bethea who died in 2019.
He was preceded in death by his wife, mother and father, Myrtle and Wilfred Cotton and brother Hulan. He is survived by son Ronald (Pam); three grandsons, Christopher and Jedidiah Cotton and Danny Larson; sister-in-law Maxine Cotton of Tyrone, New Mexico; step children Charles Bethea, Melanie Bethea Sahli, Twyla Bethea Johnston; five grandchildren Tamara, Vanessa, Jack, Amanda and Adam; and eight great grandchildren. No services. Burial will be private.
Raymond E. Cotton, 94, died on June 26, 2022 in Tucson. He was born in Bellevue, New Mexico on March 29, 1928. His parents were Wilford and Myrtle Cotton. He had one brother, Hulan Cotton. He attended school through 8th grade in Taiban and St. Verain, New Mexico. The family moved to Morenci, Arizona in 1940 where his father worked for Phelps Dodge. He graduated high school in 1945 and joined the U.S. Navy in the student reserve program entering active duty near the end of World War II and served aboard landing crafts in Okinawa, Japan and the Philippines. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Morenci to work for Phelps Dodge as a repairman on the rock crusher. He also worked as a welder in Fairbanks, Alaska and in Burbank, California. In 1950, he asked to be placed on active duty with the U.S. Navy Reserve for one year plus one day. He served in Japan and Korea with Navy Beach Group #1 (NBG) unit consisting of UDT Boat Unit Beachmasters and Sea Bees. He was discharged in 1951. He was married to Virginia Willis and had one son, Ronald Cotton. In 1977 he married Esther Bethea who died in 2019.
He was preceded in death by his wife, mother and father, Myrtle and Wilfred Cotton and brother Hulan. He is survived by son Ronald (Pam); three grandsons, Christopher and Jedidiah Cotton and Danny Larson; sister-in-law Maxine Cotton of Tyrone, New Mexico; step children Charles Bethea, Melanie Bethea Sahli, Twyla Bethea Johnston; five grandchildren Tamara, Vanessa, Jack, Amanda and Adam; and eight great grandchildren. No services. Burial will be private.
Raymond Edwin Cotton was a United States Navy Veteran. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1946 to 1951. While in service to his country, he achieved the rating of E-3 Seaman working as a Diesel Mechanic He earned many medals and commendations to include the Silver Star Medal, (2) Individual Citations, Purple Heart, Korean Service-Japanese Occupation and the Presidential Unit Citation. Seaman Cotton was honorably discharged on July 24, 1951.
Raymond E. Cotton, 94, died on June 26, 2022 in Tucson. He was born in Bellevue, New Mexico on March 29, 1928. His parents were Wilford and Myrtle Cotton. He had one brother, Hulan Cotton. He attended school through 8th grade in Taiban and St. Verain, New Mexico. The family moved to Morenci, Arizona in 1940 where his father worked for Phelps Dodge. He graduated high school in 1945 and joined the U.S. Navy in the student reserve program entering active duty near the end of World War II and served aboard landing crafts in Okinawa, Japan and the Philippines. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Morenci to work for Phelps Dodge as a repairman on the rock crusher. He also worked as a welder in Fairbanks, Alaska and in Burbank, California. In 1950, he asked to be placed on active duty with the U.S. Navy Reserve for one year plus one day. He served in Japan and Korea with Navy Beach Group #1 (NBG) unit consisting of UDT Boat Unit Beachmasters and Sea Bees. He was discharged in 1951. He was married to Virginia Willis and had one son, Ronald Cotton. In 1977 he married Esther Bethea who died in 2019.
He was preceded in death by his wife, mother and father, Myrtle and Wilfred Cotton and brother Hulan. He is survived by son Ronald (Pam); three grandsons, Christopher and Jedidiah Cotton and Danny Larson; sister-in-law Maxine Cotton of Tyrone, New Mexico; step children Charles Bethea, Melanie Bethea Sahli, Twyla Bethea Johnston; five grandchildren Tamara, Vanessa, Jack, Amanda and Adam; and eight great grandchildren. No services. Burial will be private.
Raymond E. Cotton, 94, died on June 26, 2022 in Tucson. He was born in Bellevue, New Mexico on March 29, 1928. His parents were Wilford and Myrtle Cotton. He had one brother, Hulan Cotton. He attended school through 8th grade in Taiban and St. Verain, New Mexico. The family moved to Morenci, Arizona in 1940 where his father worked for Phelps Dodge. He graduated high school in 1945 and joined the U.S. Navy in the student reserve program entering active duty near the end of World War II and served aboard landing crafts in Okinawa, Japan and the Philippines. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Morenci to work for Phelps Dodge as a repairman on the rock crusher. He also worked as a welder in Fairbanks, Alaska and in Burbank, California. In 1950, he asked to be placed on active duty with the U.S. Navy Reserve for one year plus one day. He served in Japan and Korea with Navy Beach Group #1 (NBG) unit consisting of UDT Boat Unit Beachmasters and Sea Bees. He was discharged in 1951. He was married to Virginia Willis and had one son, Ronald Cotton. In 1977 he married Esther Bethea who died in 2019.
He was preceded in death by his wife, mother and father, Myrtle and Wilfred Cotton and brother Hulan. He is survived by son Ronald (Pam); three grandsons, Christopher and Jedidiah Cotton and Danny Larson; sister-in-law Maxine Cotton of Tyrone, New Mexico; step children Charles Bethea, Melanie Bethea Sahli, Twyla Bethea Johnston; five grandchildren Tamara, Vanessa, Jack, Amanda and Adam; and eight great grandchildren. No services. Burial will be private.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
