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Robert Vincent Cotellesse, age sixty-nine, died peacefully September 9, 2020 at Charleston Area Memorial Hospital in West Virginia with his beloved wife Tana at his side after bravely enduring a short but arduous encounter with cancer. Robert was the third child and second son born to Jeanne Margaret and Peter Cotellesse, pre-deceased in 2013 and 2011 respectively.

Robert was born June 3, 1951 at Kindley Air Force Base in Bermuda where he began his life of travel and adventure as a military brat. He relocated with his family and attended schools in Bermuda; Andrews AFB Maryland; Trenton, Michigan; Johnson AFB, Japan; Montgomery, Alabama; Alexandria, Virginia; New Delhi, India, and Auburn, Alabama. Robert’s adult interests were seeded as a child in San Antonio, Texas, home of the Alamo, enthralled with Davey Crockett and playing endless frontier battles in his fringe jacket, leather pants, moccasins, and authentic coonskin cap. Elementary and middle school in Alexandria, Virginia living three miles from Mount Vernon plantation peaked his fascination with George Washington and the American Revolutionary War. After high school at the American International School in New Delhi, India and Auburn, Alabama, he attended Auburn University and Texas State Technical Institute in Waco, Texas. He began his twenty-seven year career in 1978 as facilities and project engineer, and supervisor in fiber optic telecommunications, and as senior surveyor, party chief and instrument man in all phases of land surveying His work related travels took him internationally to Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, and nationally to eleven states including Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Virginia, California, and West Virginia. He studied with the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, California between 1988 -1992. Retirement gave him more time to indulge in his already passionate hobbies including collecting guitars, knives, guns, maps, gemstones, jewelry, and fine wines. He was known for his hand-made American Revolutionary War accouterments and enjoyed re-enacting its battles.

Robert met his wife, Tana Halstead, on Thanksgiving Day 2012 at Glen Ferris Inn where he was staying while installing 911 hook-ups in West Virginia. They fell in love, moved to Texas, and married in Universal City, Texas on May 11, 2014. Their ceremony included Robert wrapping his beautiful wife in an Indian Wedding Blanket he’d purchased on one of many trips to India in anticipation of being married one day.

Robert is survived by his wife Tana, and stepdaughter, Wendy, and step-grandchildren Brandon and Lexi, as well as three siblings and their spouses: David Peter and Mimi Cotellesse, Suzan Cotellesse, John Steven and Susan Cotellesse. David’s family includes daughter Kimberly married to Kevin Farris with children Kieran, Kaitlyn, Kylie, Kaeden, Kaemgen, and Keegan; Brett Cotellesse married to Colleen Geisler with daughter Isabella Fiona with former spouse, Jean; stepson Andrew David Yount married to Josie Hayes, and stepdaughter Katharine Yount. Suzan and husband Mark Aaron Lowery, who died in 2014, had no children. John’s family includes daughter Sharena Dawn married to Neil Payne with daughter Delilah and son Edison; and son James Gavin married to Hiromi Hosaka with daughters Luna Jeanne and Isla Maureen.
Robert is survived by his paternal Cotellesse extended family: Aunt Rose Milantoni and daughter Karen Jo married to Michael Pandone; first cousins Lydia Francione, son Andre, wife Lisa and son Anthony; Daniel Cotellesse; Jim Cotellesse, wife Sandy and children Keely, Shelly, David, and Denise; and Joe Cotellesse, wife Sandy, children Alison and Mark. His maternal Vecchiato extended family: Linda O’Hara, daughter Kelly married to Steve and daughter Charlotte, and son Keith; Janice Bodenstedt, daughter Andrea married to Mark, daughter Hannah; Robert Vecchiato, wife Mary and son Vincent, and Tony Vecchiato, along with many Stapleton cousins. He is also survived by Tana’s Uncle and Aunt Sam and Joyce Lilly, who became close friends of Robert’s over the last six years

Robert is pre-deceased by his parents Jeanne and Peter Cotellesse; paternal grandparents Vincenzo and Maria Cotellessa, uncles Dominic, Jim, and Nick Cotellesse, and cousins Paul Francione, Matthew Cotellesse and Kerry Cotellesse. And, maternal grandparents Margaret and Arnold Vecchiato, uncle Bob and wife Helen, Stapleton aunts and uncles, Thomas and Virginia, Doris, Jack and Dolores, and Frank along with many cousins and their children.

A memorial celebration of Robert’s life will be held in the future. In his final days, Robert expressed the love he had for the loving community of Glen Ferris and he said that he would not have lived anywhere else. Expressions of sympathy are greatly appreciated.