COTANT, DOUGLAS A. FAMILY

by Douglas A. Cotant

Entry F89 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

The Doug Cotant Family. July 4, 1987. L-R Teresa 9,
Mary, Christina 2, Doug, Stephanie 6 aned Denise 4.
Not pictured - Patrick

I am the son of Elva and the late Harvey
Cotant and was born in the Sandhills of
Nebraska in Cherry County. I was born
1943 at my parents home (known
as the Dave Sullivan Ranch), seventeen miles
northwest of Mullen. I attended all thirteen
years of my schooling at Mullen, NE. I
graduated from Mullen High School May 17,
1961. My High School Letter Awards were:
Footbal 1959 & 1960; Basketball 1960-1961;
Track 1961.

I worked for Elsie Roth and Foster An-
drews at the Roth Ranch north of Mullen,
during the summers and weekends while
attending high school.

After graduation I worked for Tom Roseb-
erry, Sr., at the Pullman Cattle Company,
north of Whitman, from June 1961 to
November 1962, and then went to Montana,
where I had two older brothers, Willis and
Garry, working. I worked for the Winnecook
Ranch until November 1963.

I enlisted in the U.S. Army December 18,
1963 at Butte, Montana. I was stationed for
Basic Training at Fort Ord, California,
finishing in March 1964 and attennded an
Administration School until May 1964. I was
sent overseas and landed in Bangkok, Thai-
land on May 22, 1964. I was stationed 175
miles north of Bangkok at Khorat working in
the 31st Field Hospital, until June 1965. I was
sent to Heidlberg, Germany and worked at
the 130th Station Hospital, until I was
discharged December 17, 1966. i arrived back
in the States in May 1967.

I worked for Owen Moran doing carpenter
work until November 1967, then moved to
Grand Island and worked at the Army
Ammunition Plant for 25 months. I attended
Grand Island School of Business for 9
months, graduating May 29, 1969. I enrolled
at Central Nebraska Technical College in
Hastings in September 1969 and graduated
May 28, 1971 with Associate of Applied
Science Degrees in Data Processing and
Business Administration.

After graduation I worked in Hastings
until May 1973, then moved back to Grand
Island and worked taking care of my personal
investments and also worked for the Omaha
World Herald Distributor for 16 months,
during which time I met my wife.

On July 14, 1977, I married Mary Irene
(Wetherilt) McClure at Minden, Nebraska.
Mary has a boy, Patrick James Todd
McClure, born 1972, by a former
marriage. Mary and I have 4 girls: Teresa
Elizabeth born 1978 - Stephan-
ie Lea born 1981 - Denise
Michelle born 1983 - Christina
Louise born 1985.

Mary Irene Wetherilt was born
1949 and grew up in Grand Island and
graduated from Grand Island Senior High
School in May 1967. Mary is a professional
seamstress. She has been self-employed and
worked for several clothing stores in Grand
Island in the last 20 years.

We moved to Kearney, Nebraska in Febru-
ary 1986 and keeping busy raising our
children and loving it.