Lucy Cottle

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Lucy Mae Cottle, who for 21 years was the office manager for Dr. Wendell Blake and Dr. Benjamin Franklin, died Friday (Nov. 22, 2002) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center after a traffic accident Thursday. Mrs. Cottle, a longtime resident of Lakeland, was 57.Born in Lakeland, she graduated from Rochelle High School.Mrs. Cottle was soft-spoken and hard-working. She began her job in the medical office that is on the north side of Lake Wire, when it was doctors Blake, Franklin and Mark Ivey. After 20 years she retired as office manager for Blake and Franklin, but returned to work part time for the last year and half."The patients loved Lucy," said her daughter, Kim Cottle Adams of Lakeland. "During Christmas, she used to get more fruit cakes than she could shake a stick at. Even people that come in the office irate, Mom could calm them down."Over the years, Mrs. Cottle sang in numerous choirs and directed the junior choir at Greater Refuge Church of Our Lord, where she was a longtime member and a missionary."She taught us all those spiritual values, all the moral values," Adams said."She wasn't a hard mother," Adams said. "She was so kind until you just wanted to do what Mom said to do. She had the values that moms should have -- she was that and more. She let God shine through her."In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Cottle is survived by her husband of 37 years, Eddie Cottle Jr.; sons, Eddie Cottle III and Jonathan Cottle, both of Lakeland; sisters, Andrea Riley, Orlando, Jacquelin McGordon, Roslyn Williams and Cynthia Orduna, all of Lakeland and Shenay McGordon and Stacy Smith, both of Indianapolis; brothers, Tyrone McGordon, Winter Haven, and Victor McGordon, Indianapolis; and three grandchildren. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Coney Funeral Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Greater Refuge Church of Our Lord.