Lillian B. Cotner (87) died on Tuesday, April 2, 2013.

Born August 17, 1925 in Moravia, Texas, Lillian was the youngest daughter of Louis Breska and Frances Vrana Breska. She graduated as Valedictorian of her high school in 1941. In 1953 she was attending Business College in San Antonio, Texas where she met Air Force Captain Jerry Edward Cotner. They were married in Biloxi, Mississippi at the Keesler Air Force Base. The Cotner’s moved from Houston to Taylor in 1970 when Jerry started Laboratory Tops (now known as Duracon). During her 43 years in Taylor, Lillian was very involved in St. Mary’s Catholic Church and many other community organizations, including serving as president of the New Century Club and American Cancer Society, a HOST mentor for Taylor ISD, a member of the Keep Taylor Beautiful Committee, the Foundation Board of Trustees for John’s Community Hospital, and an Ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce. Lillian enjoyed working as a real estate broker for Don Smith and later, Bubby McMakin. Lillian also served as the Director of the St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store for many years. Lillian was awarded the Woman of the Year by the Taylor Business & Professional Women’s Club and Citizen of the Year by the Taylor Rotary Club.

Family was always the most important thing to Lillian. She loved family reunions, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. She also loved attending all of her children and grandchildren’s sporting events. Lillian was well known for her wonderful cooking – her family especially loved her chicken-and-dumplings, smothered steak and noodles, turkey giblet stuffing and gravy, and her peach cobbler.

Lillian was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry (in 1976), her mother and father, her 3 sisters (Mary, Alice, and Willie Mae), her 3 brothers-in-law (Bill, Stanley, and Alfred) and her nephew Stanley, Jr.

Lillian is survived by: 1) Her 5 children – daughter Debi and husband, Fred Switzer of Seneca, South Carolina; Dave Cotner and wife Jeannine of Fairfax, Virginia; son Doug Cotner and wife Kathy of Taylor, Texas; daughter Diana and husband Darrell Hobbs of Las Vegas, Nevada; and daughter Donna and husband Alan Farr of Taylor, Texas. 2) Her 12 grandchildren – Skyler Switzer, Eric Switzer, Amy Cotner Prescott (and husband Bruce), Staci Cotner Landers (and husband Mike), Megan Cotner, Jed Cotner, Sloane Cotner, Ashlyn Hobbs (and John Davis), Dustin Hobbs, Sean Hobbs, Drew Farr (and Kelsey Ford), and Jake Farr. 3) Her one-month old great-grandchild – Cordelia Prescott. 4) Her 4 step grandchildren – Lisa Farr, Laurie (and Craig) Zimmerhanzel, Carrie (and Brett) Beran, and Alan (and Kasey) Farr, – and 5) Her 4 step great-grandchildren- Bryce Zimmerhanzel, Carson Zimmerhanzel, Braeden Beran, and Nathan Farr.

Lillian’s family would like to send a heart felt “thank you” to Dr. Diana Stone and the wonderful folks at the SPJST Nursing Home in Taylor (especially Kim, Patricia, and Amanda). We will always be grateful for the care and love you provided our mother.

A visitation will be held at 6:00 pm on Friday, April 5th at Providence Funeral Home at 807 Carlos Parker Blvd., Taylor Texas, with a rosary service to follow at 7:15. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, April 6th at 10:00 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 408 Washburn Street in Taylor, Texas with a celebration reception at the Taylor KC Hall following the graveside service at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Lillian’s grandsons will serve as her pallbearers.

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