Fred Herbert Cothern

GREENSBORO Fred Herbert Cothern, of Greensboro, husband of Carol Leuzinger Cothern and father of Leslie Augustus "Gus" Cothern, John Andrew Cothern, and Gregory Floyd Cothern, died of stomach cancer on January 19, 2017. Fred was born in 1936 in the Rowlands Creek community of Macon County, NC. He was the youngest of 11 children, nine of whom lived to adulthood. His parents were Nathaniel Augustus "Gus" Cothern and Ollie Mae West Gregory Cothern. Each was widowed and together brought seven children into their marriage. Two more were born into their family with Fred being the youngest. Fred grew up in Cherokee County in the small community of Topton and attended school in Andrews, NC, graduating from Andrews High School in 1954. He joined the Navy that year and served for nine years, leaving the Navy with an honorable discharge after serving on two Pacific based destroyers, the USS Keyes and the USS Eversole, as well as serving on bases in Naples, Italy, and Charleston, SC. Upon his discharge he attended Western Carolina College (now University), graduating in 1966 with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and History. Fred met Carol at Western and they married in Charlotte in 1966 shortly after his graduation. The couple celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2016. After graduation, he began working for the NC Department of Transportation as a negotiator for one year and began graduate school at the University of Maryland. After deciding that teaching political science was not going to be a good fit, he returned to Sylva, NC and returned to negotiations. In 1970, he shifted gears and began working in the NCDOT Real Estate Appraisal Division in Winston-Salem, NC. Appraising became his life's work taking him to Charlotte, Salisbury and in 1983 to Greensboro where he joined the firm of John McCracken and Associates. He enjoyed his work there and remained with that firm until 1995 when he was declared permanently disabled, impaired by accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Although his brain was damaged, he still loved to write and used email a lot to communicate with family and friends. In 1998, he wrote and published Memories of Family (and other stuff) in which he wrote down family stories passed on to him by elderly relatives and brothers and sisters. He also included family genealogy and personal essays. He enjoyed reading, writing and listening to bluegrass and country music. Personal and family connections were very important to Fred. Family reunions, short visits, emails and phone calls as well as hosting visitors from other states and other countries gave him a fun-filled window on the world. He was quite close to many of his brothers and sisters as well as their children and grandchildren. Successful back surgery in 2014 had a totally unexpected effect. His brain damage was reversed, possibly by long hours of anesthesia and oxygen, resulting in him being able to reinstate his driver's license after surrendering it 20 years earlier. He bought a new pick-up truck and drove to California and back. He was thrilled with the changes in his life that year including the graduation from high school of the eldest grandchild, Sarah, and the birth of a new grandchild, Emma. Fred was active at New Garden Friends Meeting; a 50-year member of the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi; the Gearing Gang (Destroyers USS Eversole and Keyes), Tin Can Sailors, and the Appraisal Institute, of which he was a 30-year member. He had a special concern for helping college students stay in college and invited thirteen students to live with his family over the years in Greensboro. They brought a richness to his life and that of his family. Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Gus and Ollie Cothern, his six brothers, Ralph William Cothern, Floyd Cothern, John Goble Cothern, Luther Wayne Gregory, Allan Van Gregory, and John Wesley Cothern; his four sisters, Bonnie Odell Cothern Bettis, Ruby Cothern Wright, Edna Cothern Wright, and Hazel Gregory Hice; and granddaughter, Mary Rose. Survivors include his wife, Carol; sons, Gus (Sandy), John (Caroline), and Gregory, and two granddaughters, Sarah Elizabeth and Emma Sofia, his sister-in-law, Rosita Gregory, numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family, Salami, Irene, and Ryan Yaya. The family of John and Susan Roper were especially dear to him. The memorial service will take place on Saturday, February 18, at 2 p.m. at New Garden Friends Meeting, 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410. Visitation and reception will follow in Friendship Hall. Children are welcome at the service and reception (Fred loved children!) and there will also be childcare provided for those who need it. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to New Garden Friends Meeting for the New Garden Scholarship Fund or to Tin Can Sailors (memo -for Museum Ships Conservation Fund), ATTN: Ann Marie Estrella, P.O. Box 100 Somerset. MA 02726, or Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27405.