Walter Lee Cottingham

WALTER LEE COTTINGHAM Walter Lee Cottingham, 88, a native and longtime resident of Greenville, SC, died on July 2, 2008, at his home in Charlotte, NC, with members of his family by his side. Mr. Cottingham was a faculty member and Director of Intramural Sports at Furman University from 1959 until his retirement in 1978. For sixty years of his long life he was enthusiastically associated with summer camping, first in his youth at Camp Greenville and later as Director for many years at Camp Pinnacle in Hendersonville, NC. In retirement he was associated for a number of years with Falling Creek Camp near the family’s summer home in NC. He was a perpetually happy person who loved to whistle. Clearly a member of “The Greatest Generation”, Mr. Cottingham was an Infantry Officer in World War II, participating in the North African and Italian campaigns, the Normandy landings, and the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Bronze Star, among other decorations for his military service to his country. He would not want to be remembered so much for his military service, however, as for his influence on young people at camp and at Furman; for his love of family; and for his dedication to his Christian faith. Mr. Cottingham received his BA degree from Emory University and his MA degree from University North Carolina. Born in Greenville County, he was the youngest son of the late A.H. and Louise Marchant Cottingham and was predeceased by his wife, the late Dale Parrish Cottingham. He is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Dick Newkirk of Atlanta; two sisters-in-law, Caroline Blackmon Cottingham of Greenville and Pauline Parrish Horne of Thomasville, GA; five children, Walter Cottingham, Jr. and family of Hendersonville, NC, John A. Cottingham and family of Carlsbad, CA, Nancy Cottingham of Charlotte, NC, Mary Grier Powers and family of Parrish, FL, and Phillip M. Grier of Washington, DC. He is survived as well by eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and numerous equally beloved nieces and nephews. On his last night, Walter Cottingham talked with friends, ate some doughnuts and went to sleep. A sweet man to the end. A memorial service will be held Monday, July 7 at 11 a.m. at Travelers Rest United Methodist Church, Travelers Rest, SC. The family will receive friends from 10 until 11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the memorial service.

Walter Lee Cottingham

September 11, 1919 - July 2, 2008