Wilbur Cottle grew up in McDade, TX. He was one of five children of Minnie Greenhaw Cottle. He was 11 years old when he lost his father. Since he was the oldest of the two boys, he was forced to quit school and go to work in order to help support his family. He worked several small jobs. One day, while working as a hotel elevator operator, a businessman, who was a regular patron, handed a card to him. He said, "Young man, come see me about a job." Wilbur did go see him and that was his start with the Humble Oil Company. He was a hard worker and climbed the corporate ladder. In 1934, he married Willie Maude Snowden. She too was from McDade and though they were only acquaintances as teenagers, their love was strong from the start. Their son Wilbur Walter Cottle, Jr. was born in 1937. Wilbur remained with Exxon after the two companies merged as a manager until he retired in 1968. He was also a survivor of the 1947 Texas City Explosion. The family lived in many towns across Texas including: Aransas Pass, Texas City, La Marque, Houston, Baytown, Austin, and Elgin. Wilbur was an Elder at Elgin Church of Christ, member of the Elgin Kiwanis Club, councilman and mayor for the City of Elgin. He was also a very talented woodworker and worked to restore several older homes. In 1991, he had a gallstone removed, but the operation also revealed the start of pancreatic cancer. He was given 6 months to live, He passed away about 4 months later. He is deeply missed by his entire family, but know that he is very happy and will join him again one day.
Wilbur Cottle grew up in McDade, TX. He was one of five children of Minnie Greenhaw Cottle. He was 11 years old when he lost his father. Since he was the oldest of the two boys, he was forced to quit school and go to work in order to help support his family. He worked several small jobs. One day, while working as a hotel elevator operator, a businessman, who was a regular patron, handed a card to him. He said, "Young man, come see me about a job." Wilbur did go see him and that was his start with the Humble Oil Company. He was a hard worker and climbed the corporate ladder. In 1934, he married Willie Maude Snowden. She too was from McDade and though they were only acquaintances as teenagers, their love was strong from the start. Their son Wilbur Walter Cottle, Jr. was born in 1937. Wilbur remained with Exxon after the two companies merged as a manager until he retired in 1968. He was also a survivor of the 1947 Texas City Explosion. The family lived in many towns across Texas including: Aransas Pass, Texas City, La Marque, Houston, Baytown, Austin, and Elgin. Wilbur was an Elder at Elgin Church of Christ, member of the Elgin Kiwanis Club, councilman and mayor for the City of Elgin. He was also a very talented woodworker and worked to restore several older homes. In 1991, he had a gallstone removed, but the operation also revealed the start of pancreatic cancer. He was given 6 months to live, He passed away about 4 months later. He is deeply missed by his entire family, but know that he is very happy and will join him again one day.
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