Peggy Ann Foster Cottey

Peggy Ann Foster Cottey passed away on the evening of Feb. 24, 2014, in Russellville, Ark. She was born on Jan. 9, 1941, in Emerson, Ark. Mrs. Cottey was preceded in death by both of her parents, Jennie Belle (Cochran) and Walter J. Foster of Emerson, Ark.; her older sister, Wynnelle (Foster) Hines of Emerson, Ark.; her youngest son, John B. Cottey of Clinton, Ark.; and her grandson, Patrick J. Wood of Little Rock, Ark. She is survived by her husband, James H. Cottey; and her older son, Mark F. Cottey, both of Clinton, Ark.; her daughter, Jami E. (Cottey) Wood; two of her grandsons, Christopher B. Wood and Benjamin B. Wood; all of Greenwood, Ark.; her younger sister, Terry L. (Foster) Cauley; her niece, Jenifer A. Cauley; and her great-niece, Vivianne Cauley-Alonzo; all of Jacksonville, Ark. Mrs. Cottey was the Valedictorian graduate of Emerson High School in 1958, where she received a scholarship in English for Centenary College, in Shreveport, La. and attended there for two years. She completed her Bachelors of Art in English in 1961 at the University of Arkansas, in Fayetteville, Ark., where she met and married James H. Cottey, her husband of nearly 53 years. In 1991, she continued her education and received a Master's Degree in English from University of Central Arkansas, in Conway, Ark. In 1968, Mrs. Cottey began a career in teaching Jr. High English in Helena, Ark.; three years in the Helena Public Schools and two years at De Soto, a private academy. She taught one year, 1973-74, at an inner-city school in Richmond, Va. In 1977, she began teaching for Shirley Public Schools in Shirley, Ark. in other subject areas. She became SHS's English teacher for grades 10, 11, and 12 in 1982 and continued teaching for another 31 years. Her life-long passion was teaching literacy and grammar but it grew to be much more. She learned the importance of teaching life-lessons to her students, for it would be everlasting. She encouraged them to follow their dreams, to find their niche in life, and to never be afraid of change. Many of her students remember Mrs. Cottey for her usage of unique phrases, which they have solely named, "Cotteyisms". One of the more commonly used "Cotteyism" is "Every story is a success story", for she truly believed this of all of her students. She was recently honored with "The Outstanding Teacher of the Year" award from KARK, Channel 4 of Little Rock, Ark. Her favorite quote comes from the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, "And gladly he would learn, and gladly teach", for she felt it applied to her. Mrs. Cottey's family will hold a private memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one of her favorite charities: Van Buren County Food Bank or Arkansas Children's Hospital. www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.