Paulette Cotner

Paulette Sturgeon Cotner, known to her six grandchildren as Mimi and to everyone else as Polly, died Tuesday, June 6, 2017, at age 88 at Chateau Girardeau.

She loved children's literature and needlepoint, always dressed and acted like a lady and knew how to laugh. At the family's annual Castorfest celebration each Labor Day, she recited a Cajun version of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

She was born Sept. 1, 1928, to educators Paul Hershel Sturgeon and Vernal Thelma Layman, and was the 29th baby born at Southeast Missouri Hospital. The family lived in Elvins, Bismark, Quilin, Bragadoccio, Cape Girardeau, St. Louis and new and old Greenville, where her parents variously served as teachers, principal and superintendent of schools.

She married Dan B. Cotner on Christmas Day in 1948 at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau. They were married for 69 years.

In 1953, she and three daughters under the age of 4 boarded a plane and flew to Tripoli, Libya, where Dan was stationed as an Air Force dentist at Wheelus Field. They remained in Tripoli for two years.

Polly served as Dan's dental assistant on many volunteer mission trips, including to Kilimombogo, Kenya; to the villages of Atucucho, Yuvientasa and Chimborazo near Quito, Ecuador; to Maesai Chiangrai, Thailand; to Macas Sucua in the eastern Andes of Ecuador; and to Chennai, India.

She and Dan had four children: Dr. Danna Cotner (Sam Blackwell) of Cape Girardeau, Danice Dean (U.S. Navy Capt. Larry Dean, retired) of San Diego, Danel Burch (Dr. Douglas Burch) of Neosho, Missouri, and Dr. Paul Cotner of Columbia, Missouri. They have six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Polly earned a B.S. degree from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College and an M.S. in Library Science from Southeast Missouri State University in 1977.

She was an instructional materials librarian at Kent Library for 28 years.

She and Dan were one of the five founding families of Westminster Presbyterian Church. She served as a Sunday-school teacher, member of the choir, elder and deacon.

Polly was a docent at the Victorian-era Glenn House, was honored as a 51-year member of PEO, and was a past president and troop leader of the Otahki Girl Scout Council. In 1978, she received the Golden Lyre Award from Cape Girardeau Community Concerts.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until time of the service Saturday at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Karen Dumey officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, the Glenn House or Southeast Hospice.

The family would like to give special thanks to the skilled nursing staff at Chateau Girardeau, to Southeast Hospital and to Southeast Hospice.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.