WOLFEBORO ---- Paul Guy Cotton, 84, of Taylor Home Drive, passed away as a result of 3+ years with abdominal cancer, on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the Taylor Home in Wolfeboro.
Paul was born on July 7, 1940, in Laconia, NH, the son of Guy and Lauretta (Messier) Cotton.
He graduated from Laconia High School, Class of 1959, attended Boston University and graduated from Plymouth State University in 1964, where he also played varsity baseball. Not knowing what he wanted to be when he grew up, he started by teaching American History, World History, Civics and coaching junior varsity basketball and varsity baseball at Newmarket High School.
He married Jayne Legacy, of Exeter, NH, in December 1965, and together they built their home in Lee, NH, where they raised two sons, was appointed to the Planning Board and later became a Selectman. After two years of teaching, he went to work for IBM. He soon left that high pressure business and went to the Davidson Rubber Company, a manufacturer of automobile crash pads. In May 1968, he took and passed the Federal Service Entrance Exam and was offered a position as a claims representative in Concord, NH, with the Social Security Administration. He was later promoted to Field Representative in Portsmouth, NH, and shortly thereafter promoted to Operations Supervisor in Lowell, MA.
He married Debbie “Deb” Varey, Laconia High School Class of 1961, on May 1, 1976. They lived in Auburn, NH, where Debbie worked for United Airlines at Logan Airport. It was shortly after this time that he was promoted to the New England Regional Office in Boston, MA, working in the office of the Assistant Regional Commissioner for Office Operations. That assignment took him to reviewing and evaluating the office operations of the district and branch offices in Connecticut. Based on that work experience he applied for and was promoted to Assistant District Manager in Concord, NH, where he started and would later retire from Federal Service. They soon moved to Gilford Village where Deb gave up her United career and became a substitute teacher at Gilford High School and shortly thereafter became a well-known, respected and successful Realtor.
The 1980’s were enjoyed with snowmobiling in ME, NH, VT, and Canada with the Bilodeau clan, known as “The Clarksville Gang” at their camp in Clarksville, NH. Snow conditions were so good in the 80’s and 90’s that there were occasions, where some of the gang members were able to leave from Don’s front yard in Gilford, NH, and ride the sleds all the way to camp in one day. Paul and Deb also enjoyed skiing at Gunstock. He was elected President of the Laconia Kiwanis Club, and then served as the secretary for six years.
The 1990 summers were spent riding around on the motorcycle after he bought his first bike as his 50th birthday present to himself. He had many yearly trips with Deb, the Mitchell’s and their Laconia bike gang, to Lake George, NY “Bike Week” and they were always great fun. Harley trips with Warren took them on their annual trip up the “Kanc” in May with an outdoor patio lunch at the Woodstock Inn. Bike Week in Daytona, FL, for the two of them in 2002 was a week to remember. They also took bike trips with the Laconia Kiwanians to meetings in Berlin, NH, as well as running them on the NH Speedway Race Track during Bike Week. He retired from work in Concord, NH, December 28, 1998.
The 2000’s were blended “Cotton Family Week” in June on Big Squam with “the kids,” Erik, Mary, Michael, Gretchen, Steve and Ashley. Timeless family memories were created at the lake. In early 2003, Deb said, “you know, you’re not getting any younger and you have always talked about Sturgis, so why don’t we go this year.” The Harley was shipped to Rapid City, SD, and they experienced the greatest time with some 500,000+ other bikers from all over the world for that August celebration of Harley Davidson’s 100th anniversary. A day trip took them to Wyoming to visit the “Devil’s Tower”, truly a sight to behold.
Magnificent Mount Rushmore in South Dakota was a visit they would never forget. Paul, again was elected President of the Laconia Kiwanis Club and also served a term on the Board of Trustees at the Taylor Community. His times on Lake Winnipesaukee in his 24-foot Wellcraft with Dad were cherished hours. His favorite position (or job) from December 1998 until his passing, had been as a “house husband”, as Debbie continued her realtor career until she retired in 2018. They discovered the Gulf Coast, of South Texas, South Padre Island, and the Gulf of Mexico fishing where they spent 14 winters on the beach and enjoyed the diversified activities and history of the Rio Grande Valley.
He had great affection for his Laconia High School Class of 1959 classmates, and always looked forward to planning and being a part of the many class reunions they had over the years. Monthly class luncheons were fun get-togethers and are still being held when he passed. When he was 70, he considered himself fortunate to have the opportunity of not only riding in a WW II P-51 Mustang, but was also given the stick to fly this 12-cylinder, 1,490 horsepower Rolls Royce Merlin engine fighter plane. The Mustang was named the “Betty Jane,” and one of only 5 dual control Mustangs in existence. It is owned by the Collings Foundation in Stow, MA.
At age 71, sky diving was going to be the final great event as he rolled out of a plane over South Padre Island and the Gulf of Mexico at 12,000 feet and free falling for over a mile at a speed exceeding 100 MPH before the parachute opened. He called it “the ultimate trip of a lifetime.” His “bucket list” of snowmobiles, bikes, boats and warm Gulf Coast winters, Texas fishing and sky diving, and P-51 Mustangs, made him realize that maybe he did in fact live his motto of “if I’m not living on the edge, I’m taking up too much space.”
Paul leaves behind his wife Debbie, son Michael, of Hooksett, NH, granddaughter Mya and daughter-in-law Mary, of Dover, NH, step-son Steve Cook, granddaughter Olivia and daughter-in-law Ashley, of Granville, MA. There are also way too many Cotton and Clark cousins to list. He is predeceased by his parents Guy and Lauretta Cotton, son Erik Cotton and sister Jane Cotton Turcotte, Laconia High School Class of 1961.
Special thanks to Allan Clemow for being such a great Taylor Community friend for the past 11 years.
Many thanks to Granite VNA and Hospice for their patience, and thoughtful, professional assistance. Also, thank you to Taylor Community for their compassionate care while in their nursing facility.
Per his wishes there will not be any calling hours or services.
In place of flowers, a contribution to: New Beginnings, Women’s Crisis Center, PO Box 622, Laconia, NH 03247, is suggested.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.