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Kenneth L. Cotts

Posted 2008-07-26 by Judy Wight Branson

Kenneth L. Cotts
9/23/1907 - 1/21/2008

Dr. Kenneth L. Cotts, 100, longtime Glendale and Prescott resident, died January 21. Dr. Cotts, Doc to his friends, came to Arizona in 1928 from his birthplace, Madison, Kansas, two days before his 21st birthday. He married Sally E. Gunn on June 14, 1930 at the Phoenix Christian Church. They were to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary the next week when he lost the love of his life in 1990.

Doc and Sally were well known in the Glendale, with their residence and his chiropractic/naturpathic office on the corner of 57th and Glenn Drives. They shared their love of ballroom dancing with over 3,000 seventh and eighth graders throughout the Valley. Sally taught with Doc assisting. Friday nights found them square dancing at different venues; Saturday night was ballroom dancing at the Scoits in Phoenix.

In the late 40’s they bought property in the Prescott area and later were among the first group of square dancers on the square downtown on Saturday nights. Both Doc and Sally were “callers,” Sally’s specialty was Red River Valley and Doc patterned called.

Doc was on the Glendale City Council in the late 40s. He also spent many hours helping Sally with a Glendale Women’s Club project: Thunderbird Park. Many of his and his friends’ winter weekends were spent pruning trees, moving dirt and building ramadas at the park “way out” at the end of 59th Avenue.

Doc retired to Groom Creek, south of Prescott, in 1977, at 70 and lived recently in Mayer. He spent a lot of his time the last few years traveling around the world, riding an exercise bike and going to the movies. He liked to go out on Friday nights to the Pine Cone Inn in Prescott and just quit dancing the last couple of years.

“We believe Dad will be remembered for his sense of humor and his moral standards.” Paul and Sandra said. “He often said ‘a man is only as good as his word’ and he lived that. “ Doc’s seven rules for life were “stay active, moderation in all things, make haste slowly – don’t push, live one day at a time, love and be loved, do your best to follow the golden rule and if, you have problems, talk it over with the man upstairs.” Doc’s lineage includes two children, seven grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and nine great great grandchildren.

A Day to Remember Poppa was held with his immediate family. The family request that in lieu of flowers, Doc be remembered by donating to the charity of choice in his name.

Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, Prescott, Arizona.






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