Ray C Cotter, Jr.

Ray C Cotter, Jr. was born on Tuesday, Jan. 1,

1929, in Viola, Ariz. He

was the first child of Ray C

Cotter, Sr. and Filey Mable

Cotter (Shirley). He died

July 21 at Kern River Transitional

Care in Bakersfield,.

after several years of

declining health. He was

93.

Ray was a resident of

Wasco since the 1930s,

with periods of living elsewhere.

He was a graduate

of Wasco High and a veteran

of the U.S. Coast Guard,

having attained the rank of

seaman. He married Gracie

Ava Lee June 2, 1955, and

lived in Kansas for a brief

time.

In 1956, Ray returned

to Wasco with his bride. He

partnered with his dad to

run Cotter Trucking. In the

'70s, he became a bus mechanic

and driver for Wasco

Union Elementary School

District and Wasco Union

High School District. In

1991, Ray and Gracie retired

and moved up to Pine

Flat. He loved living in the

mountains.

In 2004 they moved

back to Wasco. Ray enjoyed

puttering around in

the yard, tending to his roses,

holly-hocks, sun flowers

and orange tree.

He was preceded in

death by his parents, Ray

C Cotter, Sr. and Filey Cotter;

his wife, Gracie Ava

Cotter; his brother-in-law,

Paul Evans; and his son-inlaw,

John Sanford. Ray is

survived by his kids, Rose

Dulaney and husband Robert;

Shirrel Sanford; James

Cotter and wife JoAnn;

the grands – Jami Helwig

and her husband Robert,

RJ Dulaney and his wife

Jazmynn; and the greats

– Hunter Dulney, Walker

Helwig and Lilleigh Dulaney.

He is also survived

by his sister, Shirley Evans,

his two nephews and their

wives; several great nephews

and great nieces; and

several great-great nephews

and nieces.

The family would like

to thank Josie Salazar, Luella

Jackson, Dr. Kamin

and staff, Around the Clock

nurses and therapists, and

Kern River Transitional

Care staff for helping take

care of Ray.

A graveside service for

Ray will be held Friday,

Aug. 5, at 10 a.m. at Wasco

Memorial Park. Miguel

Salizar will officiate the

service. Visitation will be

held Thursday, Aug. 4, from

4 to 8 p.m. at Peters Funeral

Home, Wasco.