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John Ray Kotson
John Ray Kotson passed away on October 7, 2022, at home in Georgetown at the age of 88. He was born and raised in Moundsville, West Virginia.
He is survived by his wife Sharon (Wheatley); children John Kotson (deceased), Peggy Morse, James (Catherine) Kotson, and Michael (Stacey) Kotson; brother Thomas (Linda) Kotson; 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Thomas (Mary) Wheatley.
He is predeceased by his father, mother, sister, and three brothers.
John graduated from Moundsville High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Navy Air Force from 1951 to 1954, during the Korean War. He attended West Virginia University under the GI Bill and graduated in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. From 1959 to his retirement in 1989, John was employed by the IBM Federal Systems Division. Throughout his career, John designed and managed the development of electronics for the U.S. Military. He enjoyed the challenges of engineering management. With IBM, he was awarded a FSD Presidents Award, three Outstanding Achievement Awards and four Golden Circle Marketing Awards. After retirement, John consulted for IBM, Link Aviation, TRW, and Coleman Research.
He resided in Owego, New York; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Clear Lake; Fort Collins, Colorado; Longmont, Colorado; and Georgetown.
JohnandSharonhaveremainedmarriedfor 51 years. They enjoyed boating, dancing, traveling, spending winters in Florida, and attending Colorado State University football games. John enjoyed cooking for his friends and family. He was a devoted fan of Pittsburgh and West Virgina football.
John was an avid fly fisherman. One of his favorite locations to fish (catch and release) was along the North Platte River in Wyoming, which he did for over 25 years. Tying flies was an art John mastered.
John spent the past several years writing opinion/editorials in local newspapers regarding politics and issues concerning our national defense. He will be remembered as a proud U.S. veteran, a great outdoorsman, and a person who contributed 38 years of his life to the nation’s defense.
“What I do is the greatest thing that I have ever done. I go to the greatest peace that I have ever known.” - A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, 1859 Services will be held October 24, 2022, at Howe Mortuary in Longmont, CO, at 10:30 a.m., with visitors welcome beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, at 1:15 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a charitable donation to Wild Warriors (Healing veterans through outdoor adventure) www.wildwarrioradventure. org/john-ray-kotson or The American Heart Association.