Watkins

We met LL and Ka in January 1970 when we both moved to St. Louis with IBM.

It is hard to explain a friendship of fifty years in just a few words. It would be easier if we shared a bottle of wine from LL's wine cellar and had the whole evening! Nobody made a night more fun than LL Cotter! St Louis was a great place to begin our new friendship.

A new job for LL and Rich and our first move away from home with our young families -- it was an easy adjustment because of our new friends LL and Ka. She was and will always be my precious friend. LL taught Dick how to dance with a mop at the “Ponderosa", our favorite Honky-Tonk! LL and Ka joined the Manchester Methodist Church right away.

They loved being part of the congregation. He lived his faith with so much love and that twinkle in his eye. When Leslie was born she was his "little princess" and she was named after her Dad. Heather our 5 yr. old thought she was her real live baby doll. Time flew by so fast. One day Dick told me “The Cotter's are leaving St. Louis!"

That left such a big void! I have learned since it is harder to be the one left behind than to say good-by to good friends. Little did we know our paths would cross again! We moved to Dallas in 1988 and joined Bent Tree CC. Discovering Dallas with the Cotter's was such a great opportunity. Christmas parties at Bent Tree, twilight golf, fine dining, it was all so much fun. LL was such a great guide!

In six short years it was us saying goodbye to LL and Ka. We moved back to Kansas City. LL has been so good about staying in touch. The phone would ring and a crazy guy would start harassing Dick about something. Lots of laughs, it was our dear friend, just checking in!

He has gone Home!

We will miss him so much and plan to see that smiling face one day soon...

We were so blessed to know LL Cotter.

- Richard and Anne Watkins