Mary Cotton

Mary Frances Cotton of Danville departed this life on November 21, 2014 She was born in Franklinton, North Carolina, a daughter of Henry E. Pearce and Minnie Kearney Pearce. On April 6, 1948 she became the bride of Joe G. Cotton, a childhood sweetheart. They moved to Danville in 1949. Mrs. Cotton was a graduate of Franklinton High School and University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she earned a degree in primary education. She taught for 20 years in North Carolina and 22 years in Danville. Mrs. Cotton was a charter member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She and her husband had active parts in the beginning of Trinity over 50 years ago. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization for key women teachers. She was a charter member of Alpha Gamma, the local chapter of that organization, where she served as president for three years. Other memberships were: Arts & Humanities, Community Breakfast Club, The Homemakers Club, The Wednesday Club, and the Danville Retired Teachers Organization. Those preceding her in death, in addition to her husband and parents were two sisters, Janie Pearce Geoghegan and Rebecca Pearce Oglesby, and two brothers, Thomas H. Pearce and H. Eugene Pearce. Survivors include niece Katherine Oglesby of Olympia, WA, niece Jane Geoghegan Hastings and husband George Hastings of Richmond, VA, niece Linda L. Geoghegan of Staunton, VA, nephew William Andrew Geoghegan and wife Karen Williams of Kansas City, MO, great-nephew Sean Geoghegan, wife Laura, and their son Alex, of Lee's Summit, MO, great-nephew Justin Geoghegan, wife Jamie, their daughter Iris Jane, and son Chase, of Lee's Summit, MO, and great niece Ashley S. Geoghegan, of Kansas City, MO. A Memorial Service for Mary Frances Cotton will be held at at Trinity United Methodist Church on Tuesday, November 25th at 10:00 A.M. with the Reverend Charles Wickham officiating. Interment will follow in Highland Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorials be sent to Memorial Fund, Trinity United Methodist Church, 409 Arnett Blvd. Danville, VA 24540 or Henry Fork Service Center, P.O. Box 888 , Rocky Mount, VA 24051 or to the charity of your choice. Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street, Danville, VA is serving the Cotton family.