Bernard D. Cotter

Bernard Cotter, of Mt. Pleasant died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005 at Central Michigan Community Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Robert Byrne presiding. Burial will be in Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Friends may call at Lux Funeral Home on Thursday from 7-9 p.m. and Friday from 2-5 and 7-9 p.m. There will be a vigil service at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Visitation continues at the church on Saturday from 9-10 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Central Michigan or Sacred Heart Academy Foundation. Envelopes are available at Lux Funeral Home. Bernard was born Feb. 22, 1922 in Beal City the son of Frank and Anna (Schafer) Cotter. He married Wanda Rouch on May 17, 1947 at Sacred Heart. After her death in 1985 he married Esther (Halfmann) Scully on Sept. 15, 1990 at St. Henry Church in Rosebush. For the last 32 years he was a self-employed carpenter. Prior to that he had worked for Taylor Brothers Fuel Company for 27 years. He was a member of Sacred Heart and St. Henry Parishes and was an honorary member of the Varga-Falls American Legion. Some of his favorite pastimes were gardening, tending to his yard, playing pool, camping, and carpentry. Bernard is survived by his wife, Esther of Mt. Pleasant; five children, Diane (Wayne) Schmid of Rosebush, Margaret (Frank) Dodd of Rosebush, Bob (Janice) Cotter of Mt. Pleasant, Dennis (Barb) Cotter of Rosebush, and Jean (Mark) Rau of Beal City; six step-children, Susan (Dale) Sandy of Shepherd, Diane (Mark) McConnell of Clare, and Kay (Rick) Pieratt, Tom (Sue) Scully, Mike Scully, and Dan (Risa) Scully all of Mt. Pleasant; his daughter, Cheryls companion, Mark Lytle of Mt. Pleasant; 10 grandchildren; 15 step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; 12 step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Wanda in 1985; daughter, Cheryl Cotter in 2000; step-granddaughter, Michelle Hauck in 1990; daughter-in-law, Peggy Cotter in 1980; five brothers; and four sisters.