Dave Cottingham Obituary

Dave Cottingham CONNESTEE FALLS, NC - Dave Cottingham, 69, died of prostate cancer, Tuesday, August 3, 2010. A native of Charleston, SC, he was the son of the late John B. Cottingham, Sr. and Margaret Best Cottingham. He was preceded in death by his brother, Col. (Ret) John B. Cottingham, Jr., his first wife and mother of his children Sophie B. Cottingham, and brother-in-law Ronnie McManus. Surviving are Renie Cottingham, his wife of 32 years, two daughters Michel McNinch and her husband Robert of Columbia, SC; Christina Meyers and her children A.J. and Bobby Gardner and Rebekah Meyers of Mt. Pleasant, SC; sisters Mary Lou McManus of Atlanta, GA and Diane Shiver and her husband Russell of Mt. Pleasant, SC; sister-in-law Emma Cottingham Passailaigue of Isle of Palms, SC and Marianne Sinclair of Palm Desert, CA; and many very special nieces and nephews. Dave attended the University of South Carolina, served in the Army in Japan, and attended the Army Language School under the National Security Council in Monterey, CA. His nearly 30-year career with Ford Motor Credit Co. took him to Dearborn, MI, Houston and Ft. Worth, TX, and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He and Renie owned and operated Uniglobe Lone Star Travel in Ft. Worth. In 1998, they retired to Connestee Falls. He loved basketball, tennis, hiking, fishing, the Gamecocks, Sam Adams beer, The Clock's fried chicken and especially bragging about his children and grandchildren. Dave volunteered with Connestee Fall's Good Neighbors, Meals on Wheels and founded the John Cottingham Prostate Cancer Support Group, a chapter of Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network. Since his diagnosis in 2003, Dave relentlessly researched the disease, its treatments and practitioners. He became closer to his family and friends and renewed his faith in God. Dave lived life to the fullest, never met a stranger and never forgot a name. He will be remembered for his positive attitude and steely determination. We will miss him. The family wishes to thank Transylvania Regional Hospital for the excellent care and compassion and Dr. Lucas and the staff of Cancer Care and the Brevard Cancer and Infusion Center. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, August 13, 2010, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Brevard. A memorial service will be held in Charleston, SC at a later date. An online registry can be found at ashevillemortuaryservices.com. Visit our guestbook at www.postandcourier.com/deaths