Stephen J. Cotta Sr.

Stephen Joseph Cotta Sr., 68, of San Jose, CA, died peacefully in his son’s home in Troy, MI on September 24th after an intense battle with aggressive brain cancer. Stephen grew up in the Bay Area of California as the third of eight children. He liked to talk about how he graduated high school a semester early so he could join the Navy at age 17 in 1972. He spent 20 years in the Navy achieving rank quickly, serving in many roles but most proudly on the aircraft carriers the USS Kittyhawk and the USS Carl Vinson as an ordnanceman. He honorably retired a Senior Chief (E-8) in 1992. He had three children during his time in the Navy, sons Stephen Jr. and Nicholas, and daughter Meghan. After his departure from the Navy, he tried a few potential careers before landing in project management for a couple of silicon valley tech companies- it was during this time he worked hard at night to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. After his kids were grown and ready for college, he scratched his itch for traversing the pacific theatre by spending significant time teaching English in China, acquiring lifelong friends there and a fondness for the people and culture (and more than a few bones to pick as well, ha). He spent the rest of his life as an entrepreneur, player of board games, and amateur political analyst. He had purchased a house in Port St. Lucie, FL shortly before a malignant tumor landed him in the hospital. The growth had already unfortunately advanced to stage IV and despite always being a man people would guess was ten years younger than he was, he descended rather quickly over the five months after discovery and partial removal, giving every ounce of his will and strength to the end. He was born to Richard P. Cotta Sr. and Nancy Peckinpaugh (née Ashley) and he leaves behind siblings Richard, Michael, Mary, Catherine, Deborah, Kimberly, and Peter. He also leaves behind 15 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Always a particularly handsome, charming and hopeful man, he also leaves behind four ex-wives. He will have a funeral mass on October 2nd at 10:00 AM at St. Anastasia Catholic Church in Troy, MI and will be buried with military honors at 12:30 PM at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI.

Stephen J. Cotta Sr.

March 30, 1955 - September 24, 2023