Samuel Cotter

COTTER, Samuel…

We are absolutely heartbroken to share the news that Samuel Hamilton Cotter passed away peacefully at University Hospital in London, Ontario, surrounded by his immediate family at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon, on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at age 89. Loving husband to Eileen Cotter, loving father to Roderick Allen Cotter (Angie), and Lora Lynne Cotter (Peter), and loving grandpa to Tristan, Brendan and Julian. Cherished Brother to the late Alice Zopf. We want to honour him, and acknowledge his substantial, and meaningful life. He was such a wonderful man, loved and respected by anyone who new him. He loved to laugh and had such a wonderful sense of humour. He was a loyal employee at CIBC for 43 years. He started as a teller at 17, worked his way up in the company, and retired as the general manager of Asia and Australia. During his career, he worked in three different Canadian provinces, as well as over seas in Trinidad, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Hong Kong. He continued to work with the Canada China business council for several years after his retirement in London Ontario. He was an avid skier in his younger years, and after breaking his leg in a ski accident, was nursed back to health by his then girlfriend, nurse Eileen. He later taught both his children to Ski, and his son even became an instructor. He witnessed his son Rod, marry his soul mate in July 1996, and bring three beautiful grandsons into world. He enjoyed watching them grow up, and spoiled them as often as he could. They will keep his legacy alive. He definitely enjoyed his retirement with many winters in Mexico with his wife. His daughter Lora was lucky to spend a lot of time with them there during her vacations over the years. They had a wonderful group of friends and had a very active social life. They were always trying to find “young people” for their daughter to relate to while she was there, but she was perfectly content hanging with them, and called them “retired teenagers”. Sam gave his family a wonderful life of travel, and adventure, as well as stability, and an abundance of love, support and devotion. He was always there for us in more ways than we can count. He made us feel safe, extremely loved, and so very special. He walked his daughter Lora down the isle as she married the love of her life in 2015. He was so very proud of his children. As he would boast, his son graduated from Western with a dual degree in Bio-Physics and Chemistry, and his daughter graduated from Queen’s University and later with a Masters in Education from Medaille College. He shared a love of music and theatre with his daughter and wife, and he introduced his daughter to musicals at a young age. He was also one of Lora’s biggest cheerleaders in pursuing her love of the arts, and went to see as many of her performances as he could.
As a family, we had a very special bond, and without him, there will be such a big hole in our lives. He did slow down in the last few years, and had some medical bumps a long the way, but he took them in stride. He would have celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary on August 4th, 2023, and his 90th birthday September 6th, 2023. As a family, we take comfort in that he lived a full and long life, and he went peacefully, on his own terms, with immediate family by his side. It will be a hard year of “firsts” without him, a long road of healing, and there will be a void where he should be for the rest of our lives, but he will be with us in spirit always. You know you’ve been loved when 89 years doesn’t feel like enough.

We love you Sam, husband, father and Grandpa. Always & forever.

Cremation has taken place and at Samuel’s wishes, no funeral service will take place. The family will have a celebration of life on a date TBD. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com