Irl Wayne Cottom

The funeral service for Irl Wayne Cottom, age 87, of Meno, will be at 10:00 AM Saturday, June 14, 2014, at Faith Center in Meno, with Rev. Rick Milam and Rev. Lyle Buller officiating. Burial will follow in Ames Cemetery, with arrangements by Anderson-Burris Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be Friday evening 6:00 to 7:00 PM at the funeral home. On February 15, 1927, Irl was born to Asa and Lillian (West) Cottom in Enid, Oklahoma. He was raised on a farm south of Meno and attended Oak Glade Elementary School and graduated from Ames High School in 1945. He attended Park Chapel Church and was Sunday School Superintendent for several years. He accepted the Lord as his Savior in 1981, and served him diligently until his death on Wednesday, June 11, 2014. Irl joined the U.S. Navy in 1945 with his best friend Red Allen serving in the Pacific during the war. While custom harvesting he met his lifelong mate, Katherine Brown, and on January 1, 1947, they were wed in Syracuse, Kansas. They returned to Meno where they made their home. Of this union were three sons, Gearld Lee, Owen Bryan, and Gene Irl Cottom. After losing their home to a fire in 1961, they lived a few years in Ames while having their current home moved in and remodeled. Irl worked at Meno Farmers Coop and then transferred to Ringwood Coop as manager, where he retired in 1990. He rarely missed an activity of this three sons and later attended many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s school activities. Dad always had a story to tell and loved being with people, young and old. He always commented he was surprised he had any hair on his head due to the Mason girls always rubbing his head. Irl is survived by his wife Kay; sons Gene Cottom and wife Oma, Owen Cottom, and daughter-in-law Jo Cottom; grandchildren Bryan Cottom, Melissa Packan, Terry Cottom, Shelia McHenry, Gary Cottom, Lori Stevenson, Lisa Trejo, Kendall Cottom; and twenty great-grandchildren; sister Betty and husband Clayton Crosswhite; three nephews; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Gearld Lee Cottom, and grandson in law Bob Packan. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made through the funeral home to Parker Chapel Church, Hospice Circle of Love, or Ames American Legion.

Irl Wayne Cottom

February 15, 1927 - June 11, 2014