Doris Ellen Cotton

A celebration of life is 2-4 p.m. Saturday for Gardnerville resident Doris Ellen Cotton, 89, who died Sept. 10, 2010.

Mrs. Cotton was born Dec. 1, 1920, in Liverpool, England, to James and Lilian Douglas. The family survived the bombing of their home during World War II.

She married Capt. James Noel Nimmo in 1940, and moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1948, where she ran a restaurant known for her English Sunday dinners.

Mrs. Cotton moved to Seattle in 1963, and worked as a cosmetic consultant at Frederick and Nelson department store for 25 years.

In 1961, she was her daughter Marion Barritt's first passenger in a small plane and a glider and her grandson's first passenger when he got his pilot's license. She sat in his F-15 fighter plane at the Reno Air Races, drove with him in a Cobra sports car, and flew in his biplane doing aerobatics above the St. Louis Arch in 2004.

She married George Cotton in 1976, and the couple retired to Gardnerville in 1996 where they enjoyed socializing at Sharkey's, the Carson Valley Inn, and the senior center.

She was proud to become a U.S. citizen in 2002.

Mrs. Cotton was preceded in death by husband George Cotton in 2005; and sisters Lily Burton of Swindon, England, and Irene Christian of Vancouver, British Columbia.

She is survived by daughter Marion Barritt of Gardnerville; grandson Lt. Colonel Darrin (Lori) Barritt of Del Rio, Texas; sister Muriel (George) Henderson of Seattle; and brother James (Doreen) Douglas of Marysville, Wash.

The family thanks DART bus driver Ron, senior center friends, and Teri, Tiffany, Bryanna, Summer, and caregivers at Riverview Manor.

The celebration of Doris' life with an English tea is 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the home of Donna and John Leveck, 1607 Heron Cove Court, Gardnerville. RSVP with Marion, 782-7353.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Douglas County Meals on Wheels program, 2300 Meadow Lane, Gardnerville, NV 89410.