Obituary of Mae Cotter

Constance Mae Cotter 1921 - 2016 Constance Mae Cotter passed away, peacefully, on the evening of Friday, March 18th at the age of 94. Mae was predeceased by her husband, Wilf Cotter, (2004) and her sisters, June, Gloria and Dawna and her brother Jim. She is survived by sister Twyla and brothers Jack and Pat and by her sons Brent (Elaine), Alan (Deb), daughter Maureen (Colin), her grandchildren Kelly, Meagan (Jon), Rob, Casey (Tyler), Andrew, Shelby (Jordan), Jon, Katie and 4 great grandchildren Jada, Max, Jameson and Brooks. Mae grew up primarily in Brandon, Manitoba as the oldest of eight children, in the love and affection of a large and devoted family, profoundly under the influence of her mother, Florence (Dot) Kelleher. She met her husband, Wilf Cotter during the Second World War at Shilo, Manitoba. They married in 1948 and began married life in Wilf’s home town of Kamsack, where their three children were born. After a short time living in Brandon the family settled in Moose Jaw in 1957. Following Wilf’s graduate studies in Dentistry at the University of Michigan, the family moved to Saskatoon in 1969 where Mae and Wilf lived the balance of their lives. Throughout her life Mae was both a devoted partner to Wilf, and an active member of her community. She was deeply devoted to her faith and played an active role in church life, particularly with the Catholic Women’s League. She was in her own right a central part of the family’s social life. Able to play the piano by ear, she was in great demand at social and neighbourhood gatherings throughout her adult life. As a mother, Mae created a peaceful, warm home for her family, a home in which a deep sense of love was known and never doubted. Rarely raising her voice and never angry, she made the lives of all she touched better and richer. For most of her marriage Mae was responsible for the family purse strings. Thrift came as naturally to her as generosity came to Wilf. As a couple they were a perfect match in this and so many other ways. After Wilf passed away, Mae became fulfilled both roles in relation to her children and grandchildren. She was both careful with money and at the same time uncommonly generous, in all the ways a loving parent and grandparent can be. Mom loved to travel. She and Wilf journeyed widely as a couple and she continued to travel internationally with family members as late in her life as her 90th year. Her last years at St. Ann’s and at Samaritan Place in Saskatoon were lived in good health and happiness, with children and grandchildren near, as they were right up to the time of her death. Mae Cotter lived a rich and fulfilling life. As sad as is her passing, there is joy for her that she is going to another place where she believed – to the depths of her being – that she will be reunited with Wilf and will find everlasting joy with her God. The family extends its thanks and appreciation to the staff of St. Ann’s and Samaritan Place for the warm and considerate care they provided to Mae in her final years.