Orville Cotterman

COTTERMAN, Orville Moler, age 98, a resident of The Knolls in Oxford, Ohio, died peacefully with family surrounding him on Thursday, April 8, 2010. Born on March 25, 1912, to Ralph and Ethel Cotterman, Orville was a native and long-time resident of Vandalia, Ohio. Orville worked at Frigidaire from 1936, and retired in 1973 as manager of Data Processing Center for General Motors. In 2004, Orville was awarded the Vandalia Presidents Club Distinguished Service Award for his lifelong community service. He served on the Vandalia City Council from 1946-1954 and was elected to the Charter Commission in 1958 when Vandalia became a city. From 1962-1978, he served on the Vandalia-Butler Board of Education. He was a charter member of the Vandalia Lions Club from 1942-1973, serving as president in 1948-49. He joined the Masonic Lodge in 1943. Orville was a member of the Vandalia Methodist Church serving in both the choir and as a trustee for many years. Both Isabelle and Orville helped to establish the Vandalia Historical Society. Orville is survived by four children, son Bradley (Barbara) Cotterman , daughter Janet (Rodney) Yarger , son Stephen (Mary Jo) Cotterman, and stepson Dan Boda (Susie), nine grandchildren: Sarah Cotterman (David) Ghicadus; Matthew (Stephanie) Cotterman; Elizabeth Yarger (Gian-Paulo) Dooley; Julia Yarger (Douglas) Hunnicutt; Kathryn Yarger (Mark) Granquist; Ralph (Kasandra) Cotterman, Sean Boda, Ryan (Dana) Boda, and Brittany Boday (Fabyan) Saxe; and six great-grandchildren. Graveside services at Poplar Hill Cemetery in Vandalia will be held Friday, April 16, 2010 at 2:00 pm. There will be a celebration of his life at The Knolls in the auditorium of the main building, 100 Knollwood Drive, Oxford, Ohio from 2:00-4:00 pm, Saturday, April 17, 2010. On his 90th birthday in 2002, in his honor, his children set up the Orville Cotterman Grant Fund, which benefits teachers. The family requests that donations be made to the Dayton Foundation in honor of the Orville Cotterman Fund. Please send checks to the Orville M. Cotterman Grant Fund, The Dayton Foundation, 500 Kettering Tower, Dayton, OH 45423. Arrangements entrusted to Morton & Whetstone Funeral Home, Vandalia.