Ross Bryant Cottrell age 87 of Montgomery passed from labor to eternal rest on Friday, October 12, 2012 in Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston. He was born at Mahan, Fayette County on August 10, 1925 and he was the son of the late Ivy A. and Minnie Bragg Cottrell. He was also preceded in death by his daughter Jody Lynn Cottrell, his sisters Mae, Inez, Ruth and Kay and his brothers Pat, Robert and Kenneth Cottrell.
Ross was a longtime resident of Montgomery and worked in the Post Office for many years. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service as Postmaster at Gauley Bridge. Ross served several terms as a member of the Montgomery City Council and was active in city affairs.
You could find him most mornings with Ron Musick at Brown Chevrolet in Montgomery where he greeted his friends and kept the coffee brewing. He graduated from East Bank High School in the class of 1943 and promptly enlisted in the US Air Force serving in World War II and he was later re-called to active service of his country during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1949 he married his longtime sweetheart, the lovely Juanita Crow Cottrell. It was a marriage made in heaven and has thus endured for 63 years. To this union were born three wonderful children, Pamela Cottrell Musick, Ross Bryant Cottrell, Jr. and the late Jody Lynn Cottrell.
Surviving: wife Juanita Crow Cottrell; daughter Pamela Cottrell Musick and her husband Ronnie of Montgomery and son Ross Bryant Cottrell Jr. of Seattle, Washington; sister Annabelle Crist of East Bank; brothers Paul V. Cottrell of Hurricane and Ronald Cottrell of Pratt. Also surviving is his grandson Chris Musick of Hurricane and great grandsons and his namesakes Ross and Bryant Musick of Hurricane. Ross was an outstanding athlete and baseball pitcher. A left-handed pitcher, he could throw a baseball in excess of 90 MPH. He pitched for some outstanding teams in the area including the EMCO Alloy Plant Team and on several occasions he struck out as many as nineteen batters. He was signed by the Cincinnati Reds and pitched for the Reds Farm Team in Muncy, Indiana.
Ross B. Cottrell was a Christian Disciple and gentleman in all respects. Amiable and friendly he made friends easily and retained them well. A longtime member of the Handley Baptist Church he has served his God and his church as Lay Leader, Lay Speaker and in many various capacities. He will be sorely missed by his legion of friends and brothers. As the Apostle Paul wrote: "He has fought the good fight. He has finished his course. He has kept the faith. Henceforth is laid up for him a crown of righteousness."
Service will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday at O'Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery with Rev Lewis Villers officiating. Burial will follow in Montgomery Memorial Park at London. Friends may call from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy can be set to Hubbard Hospice House, 1001 Kennawa Drive, Charleston, WV 25311. Expressions of sympathy can be sent at www.odellfuneralhome.com