Carol Cotton Poe

Dr. Carol Phillips Cotton Poe died on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, following a lengthy illness. She passed away peacefully at home with her husband, Steve, by her side.

Dr. Cotton, as many knew her, was born on December 4, 1955, in Washington, DC, to Lawrence and Sarah Mae Phillips. Growing up in McLean and Round Hill, Virginia, she enjoyed dancing and horseback riding as a child and teen and graduated from Loudoun Valley High School, where she cheered. She left Virginia to attend the University of Georgia as part of their first collegiate women's gymnastics team in 1972. She earned a BSEd in 1977 and an MEd in 1978. After following other pursuits and starting a family, she returned to UGA and earned a PhD in Health Promotion and Behavior in 1999, thereby earning the rare status of "Triple Dawg."

Dr. Cotton was a devoted educator. Following the completion of her PhD, she joined the faculty at UGA in the department of Health Promotion and Behavior, teaching a variety of classes and supervising undergraduate senior internships until her retirement several years ago. In addition, Dr. Cotton was the spearhead for developing the UGA-Croatia Study Abroad program and endowment, taking groups of students around the country every summer. Dr. Cotton was also a distinguished researcher, focusing on traffic safety for nearly 20 years, which she continued even after her retirement from in-classroom teaching.

Dr. Cotton had an enthusiasm for life - but nothing could compare to her love of travel and the Georgia Bulldogs. She had traveled to 128 countries and all 50 states and she always traveled in style! She had season tickets to every UGA sport for many years and often attended multiple sporting events a week. But her connection to the UGA Gymnastics team was her most precious. After all, it was the Gym Dogs, although no such nickname existed in 1972, and gymnastics that brought her to Athens when she was 16, changing the course of her life.

Dr. Cotton is survived by her husband, Steve Poe, a classmate of hers from Loudoun Valley High School who she reconnected with later in life, and her two children from a previous marriage - Kendra (Mark) Leblang, Atlanta, and Kyle (Bailey) Hibler, Watkinsville, GA - as well as by four grandchildren: Wren and Atticus Hibler and Connor and Wesley Leblang. Dr. Cotton is also survived by her mother, Sarah Mae, of Round Hill, Va., and two of her siblings, Richard (Ruth) Phillips and Dr. Barbara Phillips. She was preceded in death by her father, Dr. Lawrence Phillips, and her eldest brother, Larry Phillips.

As she wished, there will be no service. However, contributions honoring Dr. Cotton can be made to the Athens Area Humane Society with thanks from her family. Carol (nee Phillips) Cotton Poe