Obituary of Albert Cottle

Albert Berdan Cottle was born September 27, 1934 in Jacksonville, Florida. He died October 23, 2011. He was raised in St. Mary's, Georgia. He enlisted with the U.S. Coast Guard in August 1954. In January 1955, he arrived at his duty station in Juneau, Alaska, assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis. In February 1957, he was reassigned to Staten Island, New York. Al received an honorable discharge in August 1958 and returned to Juneau, Alaska, and to the state he had fallen in love with. Before beginning a 20-year plus career with the State of Alaska, Al worked for several years as a butcher at Erwins Meat Market in Juneau. Shortly after he and his current wife, Luanne, were married in 1972, he transferred with the State of Alaska to Fairbanks. He traveled extensively to remote villages maintaining state operated schools and buildings. In November of 1973, he transferred with the State of Alaska to Kodiak, where he discovered the island of his dreams. While in Kodiak he maintained all state operated buildings (Court House, Fish and Game, and Public Health). During his many years in Kodiak, Al spent the hours both before and after work and on weekends hunting, fishing, beach combing, crabbing, and on his boat. In 1981 he transferred with the State of Alaska to Ketchikan, where he was maintenance manager for the new Ketchikan Pioneers Home. He retired from the State of Alaska in1988. In 1990, Al and Luanne returned to Kodiak, Alaska, where Al started a new career as a maintenance man for Basil Trataros, a contractor for maintenance of the U.S. Coast Guard Base. That contract changed hands many times, from Basil Trataros, to SpaceMark, to Alutiiq. On February 26, 2002, Al was diagnosed with non Hodgkin mantle cell lymphoma and was given a two-year life expectancy. For his two and a half year regime of chemotherapy, he had to travel from Kodiak to Anchorage for treatment. Being unable to continue working, he retired from Alutiiq on April 31, 2004. In November of 2005, Al moved to Camas, Washington, to continue cancer treatment. Al was preceded in death by his father Reuben Henry Cottle; daughter Patricia Diane Cottle; mother Agnes Ila Cottle; brothers Norwood Page Cottle and Reuben Henry Cottle, Jr.; sister Ila Joyce Kennemur; and grandson Christopher Arnie DeGroot. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Luanne Heiner Cottle; daughters Deana Benner (Gary) and Agnes DeGroot (Nicholas); brother William Iverson Cottle; grandchildren Jayson Cottle and Vicki Johnson; and nephews James and Ken Kennemur. There will be a celebration of Al's life with full military honors on Friday, October 28th at 2:00 pm at Brown's Funeral Home: 410 NE Garfield St., Camas, WA 98607. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in remembrance of Albert B. Cottle be sent to Kodiak Providence Hospital Foundation, Attn: Elane Lumas Olson, 1915 East Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, Alaska 99615 and designated "for cancer care" or to the American Cancer Society by calling 1-800-227-2345. Condolences may be sent to the family c/o Luanne Heiner Cottle, 744 NE 38th Avenue, Camas, Washington 98607.