Willie Cotton, Sr.

The joy of the birth of Willie Cotton Sr. was celebrated to Roosevelt Cotton and Luizza Pippin in Madison, MS. Willie had to drop out of school to help his mother. He later joined the Army. After he was discharged from the Army he met Annie Davis and they were married in 1947. Annie had three children, Barbara Reed, Joan Smith both of Wichita Falls, TX, and the late Cecil. Willie and Annie out of that union they had two children, Joyce Henderson of Chicago, IL and the late Willie Jr. The family moved to Chicago, IL in 1952. Willie joined the Sunshine Missionary Baptist Church where served in the choir. Willie married his loving wife, Jane Ihrig, on March 13, 1999.

He leaves to mourn his wife, three daughters, 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, 16 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of relatives, friends, and coworkers from Goodwill Industries of Southeastern WI.

Gathering at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday, November 24, 2017, from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM. Service at 11:30 AM. Burial at Southern Wisconsin Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery at 2:00 PM. Thank you to Heritage Court Memory Care in Menomonee Falls and Vitas Hospice for their loving care.

Memorials appreciated to the DAV – Disabled American Veterans https://www.dav.org/

or The Wisconsin Humane Society http://www.wihumane.org/