TORRINGTON – A celebration of life for Patrick ‘Rick’ Cotant, 75, will be held 1 p.m. Saturday December 2, 2023, at the Eastern Wyoming College Auditorium with Reverend Jeff Wayland officiating and Pastor Ty DesEnfants co-officiating. A “Cookies and Cokes for Cotant” reception will follow the service.
A private family burial will take place prior to the celebration of life.
Rick lost his battle with pancreatic cancer November 20, 2023, at home with his loving wife, Marilyn, by his side and cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be given to the “Coke’s for Cotant” account located at Pinnacle Bank in Torrington.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and condolences may be sent to www.colyerfuneralhome.com
Rick was born to James O. and Dorothy M. (Brower) Cotant on March 11, 1948, in Ft. Worth, Texas. At approximately 1½ years of age, just after he contracted polio in his legs, the family relocated to Scottsbluff, Nebraska. They then moved to Gering, Nebraska where he attended Gering Public Schools. He participated in numerous school activities, including Cross-Country, Track and Football. He graduated in 1966, which was the first class to graduate from the new Gering High School.
Rick married Marilyn Jean Lee of Mitchell, Nebraska on December 27, 1968. In 1970, Rick graduated from Chadron State College with a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies. He was drafted into the US Army and served as a Personnel Clerk in Bitburg-Spangdahlem AF Bases and was honorably discharged in May of 1972.
Rick became an Elementary PE Teacher in Gering, then in 1974 began teaching Social Studies at Gering High School for 13 years. Rick was the Head Girl’s Basketball Coach (1 year), and the Head Track/Cross-Country Coach at GHS for 13 years.
In August of 1984, Rick obtained a Master of Science in Education Administration from Chadron State College. Rick and Marilyn moved to Torrington in 1986, and a year later he became the Assistant Principal at Torrington Middle School, where he worked with Principal, Marvin Haiman for a total of nearly 30 years. He retired from TMS in 2014 and worked as a substitute and interim Administrator/Teacher for GCSD#1 until June 2023. He was the Assistant Track/Cross-Country Coach at THS for 21 years, and the LFL Assistant Track Coach for 5 years.
Rick’s hobbies included collecting sports memorabilia, Coca Cola products, and various collectibles, including classic cars. Rick loved all sports, but particularly track and cross-country. Rick will be forever remembered as helpful, hard-working, kind, generous, and dependable.
Survivors include Rick’s wife, Marilyn Cotant; sons Casey (Kristi), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Brian (Becky), Buffalo; grandchildren Landon, Camden and Logan, Coeur d’Alene, and Paxton and Kaelyn, Buffalo; Brother, Mike (Vonnie) Cotant, Gering; Sisters-in-Law Idona, Overton, Kentucky, Pam Cotant, Florida, and Linda Cotant, Indiana.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Half- Brothers, Don & Dale Overton; Brothers, William & James, Jr. Cotant.
