James E. Cottier, 55, of 111 E. Northland Ave., Ironwood, prominent Ironwood businessman and co-owner and operator of Angelo's Pizza, Inc. and owner of Roosevelt Plaza, died Wednesday morning, Feb. 27, 2008, in Ironwood, following a courageous, 16-month battle with cancer. Jim was born June 19, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio, son of Richard and the late Jean (Murphy) Cottier, attended Lutheran West Grade School in Cleveland, and graduated from Lutheran West High School in 1970. He attended the University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point for three years. Jim then became a certified gemologist and managed a Schreibman's Jewelers in Cleveland for eight years. He marrried the former Eve E. Szymanski on May 16, 1976, in Bain Park in Fairview Park, Ohio. They moved to Ironwood in June 1981 and went into business with Jim's father and mother at Angelo's Pizza, Inc., and built Roosevelt Plaza in 1992. An avid supporter of numerous civic activities and organizations, Jim was a member of both Ironwood and Hurley area Chambers of Commerce, and an honorary member of the City of Ironwood Volunteer Fire Department. He enjoyed spending time at his cottage on Gretchen Lake in Winchester Township, Wis. Surviving are his wife, Eve; a son, Richard II, Rhinelander, Wis., and daughter, Kelly Cottier, Ironwood; his father, Richard, Ironwood; a sister, Julie Tufts, Rochester, Minn.; a brother-and-sister-in-law, George and Carol Szymanski, Cleveland; and three nieces and one great-nephew, Cindi Szymanski, Cleveland, Renee Tufts, Philadelphia, PA, and Sharleen (Patrick) McCoy and Evan McCoy, both of California. Jim was preceded in death by his mother, Jean Cottier, on Nov. 25, 1987. Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood, with the Rev. Bruce Estola, pastor of the Apostolic Lutheran Church in Ironwood, officiating. Cremation will follow. Visitation will be from noon until 3 p.m. at the funeral home on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to a charity or organization of one's choice. To view Jim's obituary online, sign the guestbook or express condolences, visit mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick and Engstrom Funeral and Cremation Services of Ironwood and Hurley.