Marjorie Cotton

Marjorie C. Cotton, age 95, formerly of Sabula, Iowa and Sunset Park Place, Dubuque, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 23, 2017 at Luther Manor Nursing Home, Dubuque, Iowa.

To honor Marjorie’s life, funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Friday, December 1, 2017 at the Sabula Methodist Church, followed by burial at the Evergreen Cemetery, Sabula. Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 30, 2017 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Law-Jones Funeral Home in Savanna, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Krabbenhoft (Sabula) Public Library.

Marjorie “Marge” was born on December 19, 1921, in Payne, Ohio, daughter of Cletus and Cecelia (Radenbaugh) Lehman. She graduated from Payne, Ohio High School and attended Bowling Green State University. On May 29, 1943 she married Charles “Bill” Cotton in Ft. Wayne, Indiana celebrating 58 years of marriage before his passing in 2002.

Marge moved to Sabula in 1946 and enjoyed raising her family on the “Island City”. She worked alongside her husband Bill, sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Joe Cotton, in the office of Cotton Bros. Plumbing and Heating for 40 years. The business included a Shell Gas Station, a restaurant, and the Riverside Apartments and Business building.

Marge shared her husband’s love for the Mississippi River and built their home with a large porch overlooking the river. Many weekends were spent on the family houseboat, the Nottoc, with friends and family exploring local sandbars and destinations up and down the river. Marge was a creative person and loved to do hands on work including crafting, painting, gardening, refinishing furniture, quilting and sewing for her family. She was the “go to” person when you needed any kind of help. Her family loved her for her kindness and dedication to helping her community. She had a beautiful voice and sang at church on many occasions. She was a life-time member of the Eastern Star, past president of the Sabula Public Library, volunteered in the women’s auxiliary for the Sabula Fire Department and helped with many causes in both the community, and Jackson County.

Marge is survived by her children, Bruce (Carmela) Cotton, Spring, Texas, Mike (Janet) Cotton, Sabula, Iowa, Ann Cotton, St. Charles, Illinois and Linda (Joe) Delaney of Dubuque, Iowa; 9 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren; sister-in-law Helen Cotton; nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Edwin Lehman, husband Bill, and brother-in-law Joe Cotton.