Doris J. Cottingham

Doris Jane Holtman Cottingham, 95, passed away peacefully in her sleep at University Place, West Lafayette on March 5, 2018.  She was born January 27, 1923 in Lafayette to the late Gustav and Louise Schurman Holtman. Doris graduated from Lafayette Jefferson High School and Purdue University majoring in Home Economics with a Masters in Counseling. 

After graduating from Purdue where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority, she became a teacher and taught at Lafayette Jefferson High School. She married L. Dwain Cottingham, March 1, 1949 at St. James Lutheran Church in Lafayette and moved to their farm in Warren County. She was an English teacher and guidance counselor at Pine Village School. She will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife and mother—creative and energetic, she was an inspiration to all who knew her. Doris was a master gardener, quilter and seamstress, talented and adventurous cook, avid reader and historian. She and Dwain enjoyed traveling to see friends and family and hosting family reunions at the farm.

A lifelong educator and historian, Doris authored two books: “Pearls Along the Wabash,” and “Pine Village Football: The Inside Dope—The History Of A Pre-NFL Pro-Football Team.”

A resident of rural Warren County, she was an Ernie Award winner for Volunteerism, an annual event sponsored by the Warren County Community Foundation. She had been involved with the efforts of the Warren County Historical Society since the mid-1960s.

Doris is survived by her children Gary Cottingham (Lisa) of Columbus, Carol Lou Cottingham Nino (Al, deceased) of Philadelphia, Dwain R. “Doc” Cottingham (Layna) of Pine Village and John Cottingham (Tura) of Evanston, IL, along with 10 grandchildren Angela Nino, Teresa Nino Kenny, Matthew Nino, Leslie Cottingham, Erica Nino, Ray Cottingham, Lauren Cottingham, Max Cottingham, Grant Cottingham and Clayton Cottingham; and 4 great grandchildren: Matthew Nino, Christopher (CJ) Shearer, Iris Kenny and Lady Kenny.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dwain, sisters Esther Cox, Ruth Breitwieser Price, Mary Holtman, Carolyn Townsley and her brothers Kenneth Holtman, Gustav “Pete” Holtman, Frederick C. “Fritz” Holtman.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Saturday, March 10 at St. James Lutheran Church, followed by a funeral service at 12 p.m., St. James Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Mound Cemetery, Pine Village. Pastor David French officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Doris’s name to Warren County Community Foundation or St. James Lutheran School Endowment Fund.