Michael Cottrell

Michael Robert Cottrell was born in Aberdeen, WA on February 26, 1953 to Theodore Cottrell and Doris Jean Somers Cottrell. He died August 18, 2022 in Arvada, CO. He married Jennie Lynn Salisbury on May 21, 1977.

Mike was the second of three children and spent the first half of his childhood on a small farm near the coast in Grayland, Washington. Throughout his life, he returned there many times. His Cottrell relatives live close by and are cranberry farmers. Mike has always been proud to be a Cottrell. His teenage years were spent in San Diego, and he has lived in Colorado for 45 years.

Mike worked as a machinist, starting during his college years, and eventually worked at Rocky Flats. After his children were born, he left his job to become a stay at home dad. He enjoyed many adventures with his kids and was always their biggest cheerleader. Later on, he completed his degree in Electrical Engineering and worked on projects for several companies. He was a co-inventor on a patent for exercise equipment.

Outside of work and family, Mike was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in several callings at church. He was also very active in Scouting for decades: he was Cubmaster several times and later Scoutmaster, he served in the Gateway District training adult leaders for many years, he attended, and later staffed, Woodbadge sessions, and served as the Denver Area Council commissioner for Youth Protection. He earned the prestigious Silver Beaver award, and he supported his two sons in earning their Eagle Scout Awards.

Mike was famous for his cookies. He was very precise in creating them. Always the engineer, his recipes state the exact tools to use, placement on the cookie sheets, and total number of cookies from each batch. He enjoyed sharing them with many.

Mike could fix most everything and was frequently called on to help others with repairs. He built a large extension on his house himself, with family and friends as his laborers. He enjoyed woodworking, especially during retirement.

Mike is survived by his wife Jennie, children Steven (Madelynne Jackson), Becky, Ben (Karen), and Sariah (James), and seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Susan (Paul) O’Brien and Kathy (Michael) Roberson.

The family expresses gratitude to both Gardens on Quail and Dignity Hospice for their kind care of Mike at the end of his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Boy Scouts of America Denver Area Council at https://www.denverboyscouts.org/giving/ways-to-donate/planned-giving/memorials-tributes/ or an organization of your choice.