Mary Lou Cota
Mary Lou Cota, 90, of Harpers Ferry died Saturday, January 27, 2018 at her home. Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 30 at St. Ann's-St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry, with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial was at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Cemetery, Harpers Ferry.
Mary Lou Cota was born May 23, 1927 on her parents' farm in Hanover Township in rural Waukon, the daughter of Patrick and Mary (Zoll) Welsh. She was baptized at St. Mary's Hanover Catholic Church and confirmed at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church, both in rural Waukon. Mary Lou graduated from St. Patrick High School and attended Waukon Junior College for teaching.
June 22, 1948, she married Robert William Cota at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church. They farmed the Cota family farm milking cows and raising beef cows, hogs and grain. Mary Lou also worked at Northern Engraving in Lansing.
She was a member of St. Ann's-St. Joseph's Catholic Church, where she was a Eucharistic Minister and was active in the Rosary Society. Mary Lou was also a member of Harpers Ferry American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed volunteering and playing bingo at Thornton Manor in Lansing, working in her vegetable and flower gardens, and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Survivors include her children: Patrick (Mary Kate) of Harpers Ferry, Kathy (Larry) Pedretti of Genoa, WI and Ron (Brigid) of Harpers Ferry; eight grandchildren: Regan (Jason) Dahlstrom, Jodi Pedretti, Kari (Shawn Olday) Pedretti, Vicki (Chad) Lomen, Cyndi (Doug) Dobitz, Becki (John) Barnes, Staci (Matt) Harrison and Bob Cota; 17 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; two brothers: Bernard Welsh and Lloyd (Betty) Welsh; eight sisters-in-law: Sarah Welsh, Leona Welsh, Essie Welsh, Maralyn Welsh, Sister Lou Cota, Sister Kay Cota, Shirley Scholle and Gina Jones; three brothers-in-law: Rich (June) Cota, Bob Heffern and Bob Gonsalves; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert, who died in 2015; a grandson, Quentin Stowers; four sisters: Kay (Earl) Moore, Alice (Cliff) Armstrong, Bernadine Heffern and Ida Gonsalves; four brothers: Bob, Bill, Daniel and Jerry Welsh; two infant brothers: Edward and Joseph Welsh; an infant sister, Darlene Welsh; four sisters-in-law: Carolyn Welsh, Jeanne Welsh, Rose (Leo) Foley and Myrt Cota; and two brothers-in-law: Leon (Ruth) Cota and Jerry (Marion) Cota.
Honorary casketbearers were Harpers Ferry American Legion Auxiliary members and her godchildren: Marilyn Adam, Jean Bisel, Jake Cota, Sarah Grover, Don Moore and Dacia Sommer. Casketbearers were Jodi Pedretti, Kari Pedretti, Vicki Lomen, Becki Barnes, Cyndi Dobitz, Staci Harrison, Regan Dahlstrom and Brittany Miller.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
