Duane Cottrell

Duane Cottrell lived hard and played hard. He learned his work ethic from his father, and he instilled this same work ethic in the boys he raised. Duane was an excellent hunter, fisher, and racer. He lived life through his boys, and in their company he was both a mentor and peer. With the crash of the stock market in 1929, the Great Depression spread throughout America. Times were tough. The unemployment rate skyrocketed, affecting nearly one out of every four workers, and labor protests dominated the daily news. In Muskegon, Michigan, Amos and Marguerite Cottrell maintained their optimistic spirits by focusing on a different future, the future of their family. They were expecting a child. On December 2, 1932 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their son Duane. Duane grew up in Muskegon. His father owned Muskegon Gravel Company. As a child and young adult, Duane worked for his father. This is where he developed his hard work ethic, a skill that he would ultimately teach those around him. Duane attended Muskegon High School, where he graduated with the class of 1955. After his graduation, Duane enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served for the next four years. Shortly after returning to Muskegon, he was soon hired by Teledyne Continental. He worked for Teledyne for thirty-nine years. He was a millwright, laborer, and shop foreman. Although this was his job, it was never what defined him. Duane was defined by his hobbies. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and he loved to race cars. These werent just activities: they were a big part of Duanes personality and day to day life. While working at Teledyne, he met an attractive young woman named Dorothy. Although they were never married, they formed a meaningful relationship that spanned more than thirty years. Dorothy had children of her own. Duane considered her family his own, and the children always considered him their father. He bonded with the two youngest, Bryan and Scott. They were five and seven years old when Duane first met them; their sisters Kelly and Kim were eight and ten. While the girls spent time with their mother, Duane and the boys spent entire weekends together. Duane taught them anything and everything. He even gave them a haircut each summer it was Duanes trademark Mohawk! For Bryan and Scott, Duane was a role model and a mentor. He was a valuable father figure who instilled in them a hard work ethic. He also taught them how to hunt deer and build tree blinds. He kept track of the childrens chores, and at the end of the year he would give them hunting equipment as payment. For instance, Scott and Bryan would dig worm and night crawlers that Duane could sell as bait. The boys definitely had Duanes work ethic. They sometimes gathered as many as five thousand worms and night crawlers, working hard into the wee hours of the morning. Of course Duane and the boys had no trouble finding bait when it was time to go fishing. They spent many fine days together, fishing in the Muskegon River. Duane also taught the boys everything he knew about car mechanicswhich was a lot. He was an excellent racer. He built his cars from the ground up. Prior to a race, he would acquire business sponsors. He won regularly. His accomplishments on the track are commemorated with countless trophies. Duane believed in hard work. He had a saying, You dont get something for nothing. He raised Scott and Bryan on this saying. He made them work hard, and he rewarded them handsomely. When the boys reached driving age, Duane gave them each a car to drive to school. Bryan got a 1967 White Firebirdit was nicknamed White Willy. Scott got a 1967 station wagon. They couldnt have asked for better gifts! In November of 2006, Duane went on his last deer hunt. With Scotts help he climbed up into his deer stand. Scott waited quietly for him until it was time to come down. A child of the Great Depression, Duane always remembered the lessons that only the hardest of times can teach you. He knew that life was a prize, and each day he worked hard and played hard. Despite his many accomplishments, this is what his boys respected the most about him, and its the part of Duane that lives on in them. Duane died on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. SURVIVORS: Stepsons, Bryan (Lori) Fox of IN, N. Scott (Ranae) Fox of Muskegon; lifelong friend Dorothy Fox, stepdaughters, Kelly (Mike) Bucher, Kim (Steve) Dahlstom; grandchildren, Jessica Fox, Bryan Fox Jr., Michael Buiekema, Paris Fox, Dallas Fox; mother, Marguarite Novotny; brother, Jerry Cottrell of KY; sister, Verna Coon of Fremont. Dorothy Fox. SERVICE: Saturday, June 7, 2008, 2:00 PM at Clock Chapel. VISITATION: Saturday, One hour prior to the service at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. MEMORIAL: Alzheimer's Association. Please visit Duanes personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.