James Randall Cotton

James Randall 'Randy' Cotton, 77, of Wallingford, passed away October 7, 2025.
Born September 3, 1948, in Alhambra, California, Randy was the son of James and Jean (Stevenson) Cotton. The Cotton family moved to Chicago where he received his elementary and secondary education and then a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
He married his wife Kate (Baker) in 1972. Later they moved to New England where he graduated with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont.
Randy was responsible for innumerable preservation studies and projects in Vermont, Indiana, and North Carolina, and he finally retired as the Associate Director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Over his career, he received several professional recognitions including the Antoinette Forrester Downing Award from the Society of Architectural Historians, and the Rhoda and Permar Richards Award given by the Preservation Alliance to acknowledge his long and tireless advocacy for historic properties in the Philadelphia region. As a contributing editor of the much-admired Old House Journal, he also wrote many articles on design history and restoration.
Starting at a young age, Randy began making models and he eventually amassed a huge collection of meticulously maintained models. Randy was also passionate about photography, ancestry, architecture, history, and nature. He especially enjoyed birdwatching with his friend Mark, which led him to adventures on three continents.
Preceded in death by his parents and several aunts and uncles, he is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Kate; his beloved son Tristan McLean Cotton; many cousins and in-laws, and many dear friends.
Friends will be invited to attend a celebration of Randy's life at Media Presbyterian Church at a time and date to be announced.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Cavanagh Patterson Funeral Home, 43 E. Baltimore Ave., Media, PA.