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Williamsburg Funeral Home
Williamsburg Funeral Home
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07/01/1931 – 01/12/2022
Kingstree
Funeral Services
A service of worship and thanksgiving to celebrate Beth’s life will be 2 PM, Friday, October 7, 2022 at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, 411 N. Academy Street, Kingstree, SC 29556
Memorials
Memorials may be made to Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, 411 N. Academy Street, Kingstree, SC 29556
Mary Elizabeth “Beth” DuBose Cottingham, 90, widow of Walter Carlisle Cottingham, D.V.M., died peacefully at home in Kingstree Wednesday, January 12, 2022.
Mrs. Cottingham was born July 1, 1931, in Florence, SC, the only child of the late David Cousar DuBose and Possie Burgess DuBose. She grew up in Sardinia, SC, in Clarendon County. Beth graduated from Gable High School Class of 1949 as the first 12th grade class. She was attending Coker College in Hartsville, SC in March of 1950 when she was stricken with Polio and spent a year in Warm Springs, GA, coming home in March of 1951. She reentered Coker in the Fall of 1951and graduated in 1955. Beth graduated from Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA, in May, 1957, with a Master of Arts degree in English Bible. In August of 1958, Beth married Walter Cottingham. While Dr. Cottingham attended Veterinary School at the University of Georgia, Mrs. Cottingham worked as secretary to the Counselor of Freshmen men. In 1961-62 when the couple moved home to Kingstree, Beth taught at East Clarendon High School. From 1962 to 1980, she taught History and Bible at Kingstree High School. She was named Teacher of the Year in 1966. For several of those years, Beth worked as a part-time assistant to Guidance Counselor, Elizabeth Scruggs. A unique feature of Kingstree High School was that she taught a Bible Class in the public schools with no state funds utilized. Local churches contributed to the fund which paid that part of her salary. After retirement, she taught briefly at Williamsburg Technical College. Mrs. Cottingham was an active member of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church where she was an ordained Elder, served as women’s Bible teacher and served on a variety of committees.
A service of worship and thanksgiving to celebrate Beth’s life will be held 2 PM, Friday, October 7, 2022, at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, 411 N. Academy Street, Kingstree, SC 29556.
Sorry for the lost was a great friend and teacher to me sure will miss her
We are thinking of all of you (friends and family) with much love.
Len B. and Claire Hudson Gaskins
Beth was an icon of faith and kindness.She touched all she met with respect and love.
Prayers for the Cottingham family.
Mrs Cottingham taught me Bible at Kingstree High School. She was a very nice person and an influence on my life.
A great woman who will be missed.
Another angel has entered the kingdom of heaven and also reunited with her husband. Mrs. Cottingham was my Bible teacher at KHS.
John McCrea
class of 1965
I like to think Jesus is waltzing with Beth and Walter cuts in to shag.
I remember Ms. Cottingham from school. She was a wonderful lady and will be missed by many.
Mona, your comment has given me many smiles this morning. Walter did love to Shag & I am grateful that he taught me. I miss him and am now missing Beth.
(Beth’s sister in law)
Heaven is indeed sweeter. Miss Beth was a treasure. She was a precious woman of God who was always very kind and gracious to me. I will miss her. Prayers for all of you.
Beth was a long time friend and a remarkable person. We shall miss her.
She was a mentor and inspiration to all of us. I will miss her so. Prayers and love to her family.
A champion in the Christian faith. My life was changed by her love and deeds.
I was able to spend an afternoon with her just prior to Thanksgiving 2021. When we hear about the beloved community in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger and hate, I think of her. She will be missed. Condolences to her family Nelson Adamson KHS 1972
So sorry to hear of Ms. Beth’s passing. She was a wonderful Christian lady who was loved by everyone who knew her. Missing her and Dr. C. They’re shagging together in Heaven. Something she couldn’t do here on earth.
Dear Ms. Beth Cottingham was a dearly beloved Christian lady, excellent Bible teacher, role model, and dear loving friend to our family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Her inspiration and legacy will live in our hearts forever. Our sincere condolences to her family.
Beth was married to my Dad’s Clemson roommate Walt from 1950-54. I remember pictures of Beth and Walt at my parent’s wedding. As kids growing up, my siblings and I would think of them as an Aunt and Uncle. We would meet them for Clemson football games, put them in our van and go park right underneath the stadium. Going to a Clemson game with Beth was so much fun. My parents, husband and nephew got to visit with her in April 2018 and were so amazed with her agility and memory at 86.
When my Mom called me this morning to tell me about Beth’s passing, I envisioned her being greeted Walt, my Dad, her Mom who she lost close to the time she contracted polio, her father and all the students she had taught the Bible and History of the Bible over the years. Probably every Clemson fan and former band members greeted her as well. I can see her kicking off her braces, throwing away her crutches and Jesus telling her…. you have served and followed me all your life without ever complaining.
I will always try to live by Beth’s example of teaching others, serving those in need and fighting against hate.
Beth was a dear friend since I met her when she married my husband Ed Nolley’s college roommate Walt. We would travel together over the years trying to keep up with Beth while we visited areas around the United States. I will miss her wonderful weekly cards and letters. Beth was an inspiration to us all with her positive outlook and can do spirit. Beth’s polio has been healed and I am sure she is in charge of some group or activity in heaven by now.
God bless Beth Cottingham and her life and service to others.
Inga and I treasure our friendship with Beth and Walter. They were two special people in our life. They cared deeply for
their friends and for KINGSTREE and Williamsburg County. A giant loss for all who knew them.
Cannot state fully the impact Beth had on all she met. She encouraged my sister Lois who had braces and crutches to live life fully embracing all with respect and treating all with dignity. I know Walter is smiling with delight as they reunite!
Such a lovely and kind lady. She will be missed by many from Williamsburg County and the surrounding areas.
Truly our modern day disciple 💕
Mrs Cottingham was and excellent teacher as well as an very unique person. She was LOVED by the students and faculty of the school system. We are all assured that Heaven has another Angel. We love Mrs C.
Having included her in my nightly prayers and as recently as last night, Dianne and I were saddened to learn of the passing of Mrs. Beth.
Kingstree just won’t be the same. But we take consolation in knowing that she has cast those crutches aside and is with Jesus and her Heavenly Father. I have been blessed to have been a recipient of her occasional card or letter over the years, keeping me advised on church life at WPC and I’ll always be appreciative for that. Thank God for the memory of Walter and Beth.
I have vivid memories being her student in Bible class. Not only was she inspirational in teaching the scriptures , she embodied physical strength and determination daily. She was concerned about her students. I have thought often how much she loved life and the Lord. I will miss her.
Mrs “C” was an inspiration and role model to all who knew her and aspired to learn from her vast knowledge and experience. As a member of the KHS class of 1977, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to her. I loved her and will miss her calming influence on my life. She leaves hundreds of friends and former students who adored her as well as a lasting legacy as an educator who truly cared for others!
Mrs. Cottingham was always a sweet and caring individual to her students. She was also a lot of fun! She was one of our favorite teachers for the class of “68. Always enjoyed seeing her over the years since then. Know heaven has received another treasure.
Mrs. Cottingham taught me to think critically. Of all the many teachers I’ve had, she gave skills I’ve used the most. I loved her impish sense of humor. I appreciated her spiritual guidance. She and Doc lived their belief and it was beautiful to watch.
I’m so very glad a group of her students got together with her at Pawleys this past fall. She was GREAT.
MRS. Beth was a friend that I loved dearly. She was my Bible study mentor. We enjoyed many trips to various church functions, to hear special speakers at events and simply sitting in her home while we talked and I was able to pick her brain. She was brilliant. I’m honored that I was able to take her to her last homecoming at her beloved Sardinia Presbyterian Church back in June. She was so delighted to go back home one more time. I already miss her. There is no other friend like her.
Mrs. Cottingham (Mom) was an awesome teacher, an after i graduated, she and Dr. Cottingham remained in my life. They referred to me as, “their son”, an i was happy and proud to hold that title. I visited them often, it was a joy to me to do things for her around the house, including walking Snoopy. Her post cards, cards and letters always put a smile on my face. Mom taught me when I was her student to always ASK FOR WHAT I WANTED. She had asked me when my birthday was coming up, “what do you want for your birthday?” i replied, “a car”. On my birthday, (September 23rd) she called me up to her desk and gave a hot wheels car with Snoopy in it, and said, “you didn’t say WHAT SIZE”…..LOL. Lesson learned. I got to visit with Mom a week before she passed away. I am so thankful to GOD, that i was able to tell her “I LOVE YOU, MOM”, one last time. Rest In Peace Mom, you and Dad are together again, in Heaven. Thank you, for being in my life, i feel BLESSED. I love you.
I remember, Miss Beth, as a loving, sweet lady. The community has lost a special person.
Beth was a sweet spirit, we were friends and pen pals. I shall miss her compassion, empathy, and Love…💔
Rest in Peace and Love💞…
Sharon Eaton
I am named after Beth, and I named my daughter after Beth because I wanted to name her after a great woman. Ms. Beth was my mother’s best friend at Coker College, was in her wedding, and they have remained friends all these years.
She was a great inspiration of how to live the Christian life, and my mailbox will be quite desolate now that she will no longer be writing me letters, often including little printed articles that she thought would interest me. She was one of the last ones to be writing cards and letters regularly.
She held out against going on the computer for a long time, but when I saw her on Facebook, I was glad to be able to communicate a little more often with her that way. I know she is blissful in heaven, and Elohim has already said to her “Well done, good and faithful servant, my faithful Proverbs 31 Woman!” What a lady! There will never be another like her, and I miss her.
She was an excellent teacher and an awesome pen pal. Knowing her was a blessing.
I met Beth in 1983 while she was visiting her nephew at Furman. During the summer of 1984 I served the Kingstree First Baptist Church as Youth Minister and often had dinner with her and Walter. We wrote monthly and I’ve kept many of her letters with clippings and cartoons. In 1989 she came to Louisville and read the scripture at my ordination. When I visited we always had Brown’s barbeque and often took a trip to Charleston or Mepkin Abbey. Once we drove to Pawley’s Island to hear John Claypool preach. I recall getting a speeding ticket that Sunday morning. Whenever I visited she always said, “Now make yourself at home.” She was a wise and gracious lady and a treasured friend. I count her as a “friend who was family” as Grady Nutt used to say.
I hated to see this. Dr. Cottingham was at Clemson and then in veterinary school at UGA at the same time as my Dad. They were close for decades.
Mrs. Beth and Dr. Cottingham were some of the finest people I have ever known. Maybe the very finest. Friendly and gracious in every sense of those words. They are both dearly missed.