Gerald "Jerry" Michael Cotton
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Cotten, Jerry M. The Cotten family is sorry to share the news that Jerry Cotten did not achieve his goal of outliving the universe when he passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2022. We have no doubt though, that wherever he is in the heavens above, he would tell us that he is feeling Unbelievably Fantastic Beyond Human Belief and has already located a fellow spirit with whom he can share a perfectly prepared very, very, very dry martini. Jerry was born on April 19, 1925 in North Minneapolis. He is survived by his better half, Helen, wife of 71 years, and his children Mike (Autumn), John, Roseanne Boyum and Connie (Jim) Boeshans; grandchildren, Jake, Jac, Mallory and Kelsey; great grandchild, Bria; sister, Phyllis; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Marie and Dick Cotten and siblings, Peg, Mary and Dick. Family was everything to Jerry and he worked hard to keep us all "in the circle". Jerry felt very fortunate to grow up amidst his loving and tight knit Irish family in North Minneapolis and has fond memories of his school days at Accension Catholic School and North High School. He joined the US Naval Airforce in 1943 and served in the Pacific theater during WWII. He returned to Minneapolis in 1947 and enrolled at the University of Minnesota on the GI bill. He was called to serve again for the Korean War in 1950 and was assigned to the VP-812 patrol squad, stationed first at Whidbey Island, Washington and then in Kodiak, Alaska. He often regaled us with tales of his trips into the Artic Circle, making him a member of the Order of the Blue Nose, flying in a Lockheed P2V Neptune aircraft enduring temperatures of -40 degrees inside the plane. He returned from Alaska in 1951 and married Helen Beczkalo who fell in love with him on their first date at the Covered Wagon in downtown Minneapolis. He was so handsome she says, but it was really his wonderful sense of humor and the way he helped her overcome her shyness with gentle teasing that stole her heart that day. After a short stint as an insurance salesman, or as he tells it, he ran out of friends and relatives to sell policies to, he partnered with his brother and best friend Dick, who was operating a Shell station on Broadway Ave in North Minneapolis. In 1955 they began a new venture and launched the first Cottens' NAPA Automotive Store in Anoka. MN. Their partnership was a success and made stronger when son's Mike and John joined the company in 1974. Jerry grudgingly retired at the age of 93 in 2018. Jerry believed that public service was one of life's highest callings. He served for many years on the City of Anoka Planning Commission, was a member of the Anoka City Council, the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Anoka Job Development board, the Quad Cities Cable Communication Commission and was a founding member of the Anoka Community Anti-Crime Commission. He was also an active member of the Kiwanis Club and the American Legion. We are all so grateful to have shared our lives with someone whose unfailing optimism, good humor and can-do attitude carried us through the best and worst of times that life presented. Please join us to celebrate his extraordinary life. Visitation 5-8 pm on Wednesday, August 3rd at Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home, 2005 Branch Avenue in Anoka MN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, August 4, 2022 at St. Stephen's Catholic Church, 525 Jackson Street in Anoka, MN. Visitation one hour prior to Mass at Church (10- 11 am). In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a favorite charity of your choice. Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home Anoka 763-421-0220 thurston-lindberg.com