Jo Ellen Cotton

Jo Ellen Cotton, born April 26, 1942, fell into the arms of her Savior on the morning of December 6, 2017. The daughter of Joseph and Ruby McNeely, she was the first of three children. A close-knit family, Jo Ellen deeply cared and had a depth of love for her sisters, Olivia McNeely and Vicky Simpson. Every story and every recollection was related through a heart of love and eternal connectedness. She also had a cousin like a brother, Benjamin McNeely, whose laughter was contagious and whom she anxiously awaited every encounter. Jo Ellen was loved and adored by her husband, Grady, who will profoundly miss her. Grady and Jo Ellen were inseparable, a relationship to be envied in good times and in bad times and in sickness and in health. A relationship of mutual sacrifice and unending love. Her three children whom she cherished and loved dearly, and their spouses, Lisa and her husband, Mike Veuleman, Kelly and his wife, Julie Cotton, and Kim and her husband, Steven Rodrigues, were the pride and joy of her life. They were her prizes. Each child unique, blessed with a distinct personality and different talents, she enjoyed being their mother very much. Maybe that’s why the word “mother” was so frequently heard near Jo Ellen. Perhaps there was nothing that brought her more delight and happiness than her grandchildren and her great grandchildren. She doted upon them; they were the thrill of her life: Heath Veuleman; Wesley Veuleman and his son Oliver Veuleman; Matthew Veuleman and his wife, Bridget along with their children Braylee and Caleb; Christian Veuleman along with her two children Allison and Avery; Anna Faith Veuleman; Tyler Cotton and his wife. Rebecca; Keely Rodrigues; Jacob Rodrigues; and Teagan Rodrigues. She had a host of nieces and nephews that she loved and cared for deeply; too many to name. There are not enough words, nor enough paper to capture them all, that would sufficiently describe the life well-lived by Jo Ellen Cotton. She was a woman who had panache. She was joyous, always ebullient, happy, enjoying life to fullest. She was generous, one of her hallmarks was selfless giving, responding to a need before a person or organization even knew existed; she was gracious. She was passionate, a true red-head. A fierce competitor and a person not to be trifled with especially when it came to her family or her friends she was the ultimate defender and protector. Ultimately, joyous, generous, and passionate can only be summed up as a life of love. Jo Ellen lived an intense and spirited life of love not one of word only, but one of deed as well. A love that was spoken but more importantly a love that was felt. Jo Ellen enjoyed life because she loved others without reservation, not because she had to but because she enjoyed loving others. “Most important of all, continue to shoe deep love for each other for love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8