Richard A. "Dick/Grumpy"
Cottier, 86, of Ironwood, retired co-owner and operator of Angelo's Pizza in
Ironwood, died peacefully Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, at Aspirus Grand View
Hospital in Ironwood. He was born Jan. 21, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio,
son of the late Granville and Ruth (Melhuish) Cottier, attended Cleveland
schools, and graduated from West Tech High School in 1946. He then served
stateside in the U.S. Army for 18 months. Following his honorable discharge as a
corporal, he returned to Cleveland and was employed in factory work, in a dental
lab, and in middle management for the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad in Cleveland for
28 years. Moving to Presque Isle, Wis., and later to Ironwood, Dick worked as a
lift operator at Blackjack Ski Resort, then opened Angelo's Pizza Restaurant in
1980, operating it with his late son, Jim, and daughter-in-law, Eve, until his
retirement in 2011. Dick was an awesome man who was loved by all.
He enjoyed downhill skiing and fishing, and was a member of the American Legion
Post in Lansing and Franklin Masonic Lodge in Cleveland. He will be
dearly missed. On Aug. 19, 1950, he married the former Jean
Murphy in Cleveland. She preceded him in death on Nov. 25, 1987. Surviving are a
daughter, Julie Tufts, Rochester Minn.; daughter-in-law, Eve Cottier,
Ironwood; four grandchildren, Renee Tufts, Philadelphia, Sharleen (Patrick)
McCoy, California, Kelly Cottier, Ironwood, and Richard (Annette) Cottier,
Rhinelander, Wis.; three great-grandchildren, Evan McCoy, and Andrew and Marie
Cottier; a sister, Nancy (Milton) DePuy, Cleveland; sister-in-law, Doris Thies,
Cleveland; and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides his parents and wife, Dick was
preceded in death by his son, Jim, on Feb. 27, 2008; and brother,
Norman. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Feb.
26, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 10 a.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. Full military rites will be accorded by the
Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard. Cremation will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to
a charity or organization of one's choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to
McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood, where
condolences may be expressed online at
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.