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Doris E. Cottrell
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Doris Cottrell Obituary
Doris E. Cottrell, lately of Lebanon, passed away on October 1, 2025.
Born on September 6, 1930, in Mount Vernon, NY to Jeannette (Nicholson) and William Cottrell, Doris attended Adelphi University, earning degrees in Art and Music. After college, she married John C. Schlegel with whom she had two children, Dave and Lynne. She divorced in 1965 and married Vaughn Clapp, eventually settling in Hampton for many years, where she was an active member of Hampton Congregational Church.
After they divorced in 1999, she moved to Freedom Green in Mansfield Center and worked as a Central Sterile Supply Technician for 17 years at Windham Hospital. During this time she met the love of her life, Colonel Bertram Wilson, a former Tuskegee Airman Pilot, with whom she travelled the world and enjoyed life until his passing in 2002.
Doris loved her independence and enjoyed playing the piano, gardening, sewing, and playing bridge. She was an avid reader and had a deep love and respect for animals, the environment, and people's rights. Besides being a very much loved mother and best friend to her children, she'll be remembered as The Energizer Bunny for her long and mostly healthy life, her generosity, her listening skills, and as a connoisseur of fine and varied friends whom she loved very much.
The last year of her life was lived in Lebanon with her daughter and her husband. She will be sadly missed by pets Ripley, Maggie, Hunter, Willow, and Simon.
Doris is survived by her son, Dave Schlegel (wife Susan) of Needham, MA and their children, Jennifer (husband, Eric) of Harrisburg, PA and Matthew (Amber) and great-grandson, Lincoln of Needham, MA and her daughter, Lynne (Schlegel) Marden of Lebanon (husband, Vic Marden) and their children, Jesse Marden of Waterford; Nicole Papachristos (husband, Dimitrios) of Granby and soon to be great-grandson; and Luke Marden (fiance Ashley) of Groton.
Per her wishes, there was a private green burial at the North Lebanon Cemetery in Lebanon. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Care of arrangements was entrusted to the Aurora McCarthy Funeral Home. For online condolences, or to share a memory of Doris with the family, please visit,
www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com
Doris E. Cottrell
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, Inc. - Colchester167 Old Hartford Road, Colchester, CT 06415
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