Ella G. "Betsy" Cotter

October 14, 1947 - February 12, 2018

Stratham, NH – Ella G. “Betsy” “Little Bit” Cotter, 70, lived a full and beautiful life until the morning of Monday, February 12, 2018. Betsy passed peacefully surrounded by her children and her loving husband of more than 37 years, Bruce Cotter. Betsy was born on the former military base The Presidio in San Francisco, CA on October 14, 1947 to the late Colonel Stanley and Jean (Hand) Partridge. She spent her early childhood walking through the cobble stone streets in the small town of La Roche-Posay in western France. The Partridge family was later transferred to San Antonio, Texas where Betsy competed in and (obviously) won several beauty pageants, loved and cared for her horses and was (most likely) the loudest most passionate cheerleader for MacArthur High School’s football team. Betsy later moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and was a true 1980’s banker with all the know-how, shoulder pads and big blonde hair there could be. A self-starter, with enough confidence to keep her bangs bushy sans hairspray, she worked her way up to a Vice President position at Wells Fargo Bank. Forever the social butterfly, it was at an event she was assisting in hosting where she first met her husband Bruce. The two married shortly after their meet cute and lived for 20 years in sunny, Santa Cruz, California where their two youngest children, Kristen and Colin, were born. In 1999 they moved to Stratham, New Hampshire and Betsy fell in love with every little bit of coastline New England had to offer. She found happiness and meaning in raising her family and laughing with her granddaughter, Tessa. Betsy went back to work “for fun” (I know, right?!) later in life for Citizens Bank, in Stratham and Portsmouth New Hampshire before illness forced her into early retirement in 2016. Betsy’s joy was the life of every party and it shined through her smile every day. Her laughter was contagious and memorable. She was a proud member of Seacoast Federation of Republican Women and was a strong supporter of arts and literature, serving on the board for Project Music Works in York, ME in addition to actively supporting the Evening with the Arts, the Wiggin Library in Stratham and the United Way. She was an animal lover and a surprisingly loud 49ers and Patriots fan who enjoyed reading, dining out and walking the beach. She was an avid traveler, enjoying trips to France, The Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, and throughout the United States. Her favorite spot will always be relaxing near the ocean with a glass of wine and good conversation with loved ones. Her last family vacation was just that and more— at her youngest daughter’s destination wedding on the Caribbean coast of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico celebrating with the Slattery family of South Dennis, MA and 50 more extended family and close friends. Betsy had big plans and her spirit and drive will continue to live on through her family whom she leaves behind, including her husband, Bruce Cotter of Stratham; children, Dawne Martin of Stratham, Kristen Cotter and her husband Sean Slattery of PG County, MD and Colin Cotter of Brooklyn, NY; granddaughter Tessa Martin of Stratham; brother in law, Robert Cotter and his wife Caryl Hill Cotter of South San Francisco, CA; nephews, Jay Jenkins and wife Denise of Gilroy, CA and their children Hope and Pierce, William Cotter and partner Kamani Henderson of San Francisco, Wyn Cotter and wife Nicolette Cava of South San Francisco; loving extended family, many dear friends and her beloved dog, Misha, cat, Kennebec and turtle, Tommy. Visiting hours will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM on Wednesday February 21st, 2018 at the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH 03842. A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 at the Bethany Church, 500 Breakfast Hill Road, Greenland, NH 03840. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham, NH or Project Music Works in York, Me.