Aug. 17, 2016

Canton – A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Lawrence Emmett Cotter, 93, was held Aug. 11 at St. Mary’s Church, with Bishop Terry R. LaValley presiding and priests of the diocese concelebrating. Father F. James Shurtleff delivered the homily.

Father Cotter died Aug. 7 at the United Helpers Riverledge Health Care and Rehabilitation in Ogdensburg. Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Father Cotter was born in Canton Nov. 10, 1922, the son of Edward and Margaret Cotter. After graduating from Canton High School, he received a Bachelor of Science from St. Lawrence University in 1943.

Four years later he began his studies at Wadhams Hall Seminary and in 1952 completed his advanced studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland.

Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart ordained him to priesthood June 7, 1952 at his home parish, St. Mary’s Church in Canton.

Father Cotter’s twin brother, Robert, had been ordained a priest June 14, 1947; their younger brother Charles was ordained June 3, 1950.

Father Lawrence Cotter served as an assistant pastor for two years at St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam.

In 1954 he began an extended period as a professor at Wadhams Hall Seminary, archivist and other positions within the Chancery and professor and chaplain at Mater Dei College in Ogdensburg.

During this period, Father Cotter served briefly as the administrator of St. John the Evangelist Church in LaFargeville.

The priest was appointed pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Hammond in 1978. A decade later, he served as pastor of St. Patrick’s Church in Colton and St. Paul’s Church in South Colton and St. Michael’s Church in Parishville.

Father Cotter retired in 1997, continuing to serve at St. John the Baptist Church in Madrid until 2010.

For 72 years, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. In 1943, he joined Sarto Council #1059, Canton and was later made an Honorary Lifetime member. He became a Fourth Degree member of Bishop McEntegart Assembly #707 in 1944.

Father Cotter was predeceased by his parents, and his brothers Fathers Charles and Robert Cotter.

He is survived by his brother, Maurice, who resides in St. Joseph Nursing Home, and a cousin Lauren Stiles.

Rest in peace, Father Cotter

By Mary Lou Kilian
Editor/General Manager

With love and great thanks for a life well-lived, our diocese bid farewell to Father Lawrence Emmett Cotter this past week, a man who served the North Country church as a priest for 64 years.

Father Cotter could rightly be called a Renaissance Man since, during his 93 years of life, he reached tremendous intellectual, spiritual and physical heights.

In a North Catholic Catholic article printed in 1955, the Chancery announced that the priest, who already served as a professor of Greek and Church history at Wadhams Hall, would begin advanced studies in science and mathematics.

He devoted 30 years of his life in service as a professor at the seminary and later, at Mater Dei College.
In addition to intellectual challenges, Father Cotter also took on physical tests. He became a 46-er, having climbed all 46 of the traditionally recognized high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.

Not content just to climb the mountains, he also wrote about the climbing. Father Cotter edited the Guides to Adirondack Trails and served on the publication committee of the Adirondack Mountain Club and as chairman of the Map and Guidebook Committee of the same organization. He also served on the Outdoor Leadership Workshop Committee of the Adirondack 46ers.

My most vivid memories of Father Cotter are from the 1980s when he came into the North Country Catholic offices to do a bit of research for a project stemming from his position as diocesan archivist.

It was always a time for delightful conversation.

But, first and foremost, Father Cotter was a priest whose primary goal in life was sharing his faith with his students, his parishioners and friends who came into his life.

He grew up in a family in which religious devotion and practice were paramount. As a priest, he followed in the footsteps of his twin brother, Robert, and younger brother, Charles who spend his early years as a priest of the Archdiocese of Montreal.

Father Cotter also followed the example of three aunts who became Religious Sisters of Mercy.

Parishioners in Hammond, Rossie, Colton, South Colton and Parishville were certainly blessed by his presence, as were we all.

Well done, good and faithful servant. May you rest in peace.